IN YOUR OWN WORDS RAELENE JOHNSON. CREDIT: CORTNEY TABERNA BRIAN AUGUSTINE. CREDIT: JESSE BORRELL SELF, IT’S A NEW YEAR BY RAELENE JOHNSON, VOICE VENDOR HAPPY NEW YEAR, SELF. We get to start over again in this new year, with no bad stuff. Forget last year. If you feel you messed up, you get to do it over and be better this new year. Self, don’t beat yourself up because you feel last year was not right for you. Let it go. A new year means you got to do better this year. Look forward. Do not dwell on last year. It’s a new year to be a better self, a more caring and loving self. Self, you always look forward; not back. You can’t change the past, but you can always change your future. So, Self, I’m wishing you the best new year ever. Remember, Self, only you can change you, and only you can help others this year. So, Self, be the best you can be this year! ■ LEFT TO RIGHT: JEROME COTTON, ALVIN COTTON, JOHN ALEXANDER. CREDIT: JUSTIN CANALES REST IN POWER, ALVIN “MUSTAFA” COTTON BY ELISABETH MONAGHAN, MANAGING EDITOR THE DENVER VOICE COMMUNITY recently lost one of our vendors, Alvin “Mustafa” Cotton, who died of COVID in December. A brother of long-time vendors John Alexander and Jerome Cotton, Mustafa joined the VOICE in 2011. We will share more about Mustafa in a future issue. All of us at the VOICE extend our love and condolences to John, Jerome, and the rest of their family members. ■ LOSING A DEAR FRIEND BY BRIAN AUGUSTINE, VOICE VENDOR TODAY, A REALLY GOOD FRIEND DIED. He was a Vietnam vet. Tried to live the best he could. I became his medical proxy. Because he didn’t have a lot of friends, I count myself lucky to be one of them. Until he met me, he felt very lonely. I was able to get him to eat better. But, years of malnutrition and smoking took more than I could help him replace. As his proxy, I had to make the final decision. One I hated. But, knew it was best. He couldn’t keep his oxygen level. He was in pain. So, I sent him to hospice, knowing he would leave quickly. He died at 6:37 Sunday night... Three days before his 74 birthday. I really wanted him to see that day. He just wasn’t going to make it. To Patrick Hagan, he gave his all to life. Gave as much to God. As I cry with my loss, I struggle with guilt, for my signature ended his fight and pain. I just don’t know if I caused his death prematurely. He knew that I cared for him in life and will care for his remains. Make sure everyone you care about hears the word from your heart to lips to their ear into their hearts. ■ FREE ADDICTION SUPPORT FOR DENVER RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP (855) 539-9375 WeFaceItTogether.org 12 DENVER VOICE January 2022
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