John remembers when a very ill Taylor, who spoke out on the issue of AIDS when it was still a stigma, attended the Academy Awards viewing party his foundation hosts every year to raise money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Despite being in pain, the actress soldiered on. "There were dozens of photographers and reporters 鈥� perhaps more than a hundred, in fact 鈥� cramming the very long red carpet," John wrote. "Elizabeth had a terrible time getting around at that point. But... Elizabeth walked the entire stretch. And not only that, she spoke to every single journalist and posed for every single camera that was aimed her way. More to the point, Elizabeth spent the whole time talking about the importance of EJAF's work and the urgency of the AIDS epidemic... Elizabeth must have been on her feet for an hour, and the whole time she was as energetic and graceful as ever."
