10: A Legacy Alive

As children gather with grandparents they learn and teach at the same time. Grandparents are role models, filled with wonderful tales of days gone by and a lifetime of lessons. The children play their own special role in these relationships as well. Rarely do you see a grandparent without a spark in their eyes as they talk, play, or just sit with their grandchildren. It’s a connection that adds wisdom to children, and youth to the wise.

In 1990, Melissa Palank was a 12 year old granddaughter and student when HIV became more than a health class issue in her life. At a time when much was still being discovered about HIV, she learned that her loving grandfather, John Greavu, had HIV following a blood transfusion in the early 1980’s during open heart surgery. Melissa was the oldest of the grandchildren and “was crushed” when she found out but “wasn’t sure why she was mad. Was it the disease or the fact that he’d be gone?” While news of an HIV diagnosis causes a myriad of responses, for Melissa it meant that she had to know more. She needed to understand and get a grasp on what this meant for her and her family. She dove into research and tracked down any articles she could find on this disease. Her family took it one day at a time and supported her grandfather as he continued to handle the challenges of HIV including participating in a number of early studies that shaped future research on treatment regimens.

John had a wide-ranging set of experiences throughout his life. He’d served in World War II with George Patton’s Third Army after he was drafted at age 18. He wasn't part of D-Day, but was in Normandy shortly after. He was wounded during the war and received a Purple Heart. After his time in the Army, he went to work for the Great Northern Railway and worked there for over 42 years.  He loved cooking and worked in Food Services as a dining car chef, restaurant manager (he managed the Minneapolis Train Depot restaurant), kitchen supervisor and finally Manager of the Executive Food Service program for Burlington Northern.  While he was working for the railroad, he was elected to the Maplewood City Council in 1965 and served until 1978, when he was elected Mayor. He served as the Mayor of Maplewood until he resigned in 1990 following his HIV positive status.

Wanting to do something in the time following her grandfather’s diagnosis, Melissa began working to teach others and fight HIV through education. In her early teens she began serving as an HIV educator and participating in a Camp Fire Boys and Girls program called FATE (Fighting AIDS Through Education.) By 1994, she was presenting at statewide conferences on AIDS. Teaching others and fighting for education had become a passion that began to engulf Melissa.

In the fall of 1994, John began to struggle more with his health; he was losing weight and sleeping more and more. On Thanksgiving night, he was placed on a sled as a makeshift stretcher in order to get him to the hospital. It was beginning to look more obvious that John was slipping away. That night, Melissa’s sister lashed out leaving a hole in the wall as a testament to their anger and frustration – and fear they would never see their grandfather again. As only teens can, she later went through a crash course in drywall repair to cover the damage from her parents. However, the process had begun, and her grandfather passed away in January of 1995.

While grieving, Melissa didn’t take time for her own healing but intended to continue on her mission to educate. For the first time though, she was scared. Worried about what others would say or how they would react now that news of her grandfather’s death became very public. Reactions were supportive, if not fully understanding. In an effort to deal with a death that is difficult for kids of that age to understand, Melissa volunteered heavily to fulfill a promise she made to her grandfather to work toward a cure for HIV and educate others about the disease. She met with legislators, worked with the Minnesota AIDS Project, presented at statewide and national HIV conferences, served as the Community Co-Chair of the MN Dept. of Health Task Force on HIV/STD Prevention, and continued her own education. Melissa worked tirelessly for years until the impact of HIV wore on her and the slow process of change became too much. Finally, years after John died, Melissa began to understand how HIV had hurt her and those she loved and took a break to heal.

Today, Melissa has accepted the struggles and challenges that HIV thrust into her life so unexpectedly nearly 20 years ago. After some time away from HIV education as a nearly full time endeavor, Melissa is back fighting HIV and educating others through the Minnesota AIDS Project and using her professional business skills and political science degree to serve as an advocate for change.

While the process of change and a cure is slow, the impact of HIV can be felt in very real, human terms throughout our world. The greatest tribute we can leave is an impact in our world that goes beyond our days. John Greavu has made an impact.

Last Updated: Tuesday, May 27, 2008
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