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We Remember…

Gary Wayne Coleman (February 8^th, 1968 – May 28^th, 2010). Coleman was a child actor known for his role as Arnold Jackson in the television sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" (1978–1986) and for his small stature as an adult. He had been hospitalized since May 26^th after suffering what his family called "a serious medical problem." Coleman was admitted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah, after falling and hitting his head and suffering an epidural hematoma at his home in Santaquin, Utah. He died at 12:05 p.m. on May 28^th at age 42. The cause of death was listed as a brain hemorrhage. Chronic renal failure was also listed as a contributing factor to the actor's death.

Coleman was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars." After a successful childhood acting career, he struggled financially later in life. In 1989, he successfully sued his parents and business adviser over misappropriation of his assets.

Coleman was cremated on June 17^th in Sandy, Utah; there was no funeral. Shannon Price is listed as Coleman's spouse, even though they were technically divorced at the time of Coleman's death.

Harry Wieder (January 27^th, 1953 -- April 27^th, 2010). Wieder, a longtime advocate for disability and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) issues, was crossing Essex Street between E. Houston and Stanton streets in New York City around 9:45 p.m. on April 27^th when he was hit by a taxi heading north. Wieder had left a Community Board 3 meeting at P.S. 20 when the incident occurred, colleagues said. He was 57.

Wieder, who described himself on Facebook as a "Disabled, gay, Jewish, leftist, middle aged dwarf who ambulates with crutches" was an advocate for LGBT equality and for transportation and other issues for the disabled. Born in New York City, he was the son of parents who survived the Holocaust. Spinal surgery he underwent when he was about 30 left him dependent on crutches.

Wieder first came to prominence in the 1980s with the activist group Act-Up. He was profiled in Betty Adelsen’s 2005 book "The Lives of Dwarfs: Their Journey from Public Curiosity Toward Social Liberation" and also written about by Jimmy Breslin for Newsday, who captured his "combative, roguish nature and his penchant for truth.” (http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2010/04/harry-weider-killed-in-nyc-accident-gay.html)

Adelsen, in her book, noted Wieder's "combative, roguish nature" but also had praised his "penchant for truth."

"Harry was a small person, but he was a very big personality," Anne Emmerman, a former city official, reported of him in the New York Post. "He had a big voice and a very colorful character."

Wieder was a member of The 504 Democratic Club and Disabled in Action, groups composed of and advocating for the disabled. He was also active in Coalition for a District Alternative, or CoDA, a progressive Lower East Side Democratic organization.

Wieder's mother is believed to be his only living relative.

Arthur J. Carroll (October 6^th, 1943 -- May 14^th, 2010). Carroll, a photographer, artist and HIV-AIDS advocate, died after a long illness. He was 66.

He was born to the late James E. and Elsie Shastany Carroll in Springfield, Mass., where he attended school before moving to Boston to study art and photography at Boston University. Upon returning to Springfield, he was a co-founder of "The Pesky Sarpent," a club where many of the greats of folk music performed. Besides being a photographer and artist, Carroll was a poet, a painter, a writer and a computer graphics expert. He volunteered his graphics for the website Independent Living-USA.com.

He enjoyed the thousands of songs on his iPod and made copies, with his own custom jackets, for his friends all over the world. He was founder and president of the Randy Shilts Group to support and help people with HIV-AIDS and their families.

Carroll is survived by his life partner of 26 years, Michael Kahian of Troy, N.Y. Art and Michael were married on September 2^nd, 2009, in Williamstown, Mass. He is also survived by his two other loves, his pups, Dylan and Lucky. He also loved the dogs Noorvik and Dusty, who predeceased him.

On behalf of Arthur, Kahian wanted to thank the staff of the 2nd floor CCU of Samaritan Hospital in Troy and the workers at the ALS Center for their caring and love. A celebration of Arthur's life was held May 22^nd in the Gardner Earl Chapel of Troy's Oakwood Cemetery.