CBS got bad reviews for its overproduced bios of athletes aired during this past Winter Olympics, but the Fifth Annual Gay Games in Amsterdam would be wise to publicize Clifford Ueltschey’s story. Despite his falling CD4 counts and rising viral load—currently 14 and 788,994, respectively—Ueltschey is determined to become the first PWA to go for the gold in the bodybuilding event.
The trip costs more than his disability check can cover, so last year, Ueltschey formed Team Clifford, a fundraising effort that employs bake sales, garage sales, raffles and time-worn recipes (try his zesty Chicken Piccata!) to raise money for the August voyage. Fans eagerly await Ueltschey’s monthly newsletter, with reports on his bankroll, favorite gym exercises and recent disasters with such experimental drugs as Sustiva and 1592.
His goal? “Ten thousand dollars, so my partner of nine years can join me, and we can travel around Europe after the games,” says Ueltschey, 38.
At presstime, he was halfway there, including an airplane ticket purchased with frequent-flyer miles donated by his brand-new next-door neighbors. Is this how Tara Lipinski got to Nagano?
