Beloved New York nightlife legend Fred Rothbell-Mista has passed away after a 17-year battle with AIDS. Here, several of his best friends reminisce about the amazing mark he left on the lives of those who knew him. Also see a remembrance from Steve Lewis; details of memorial services may be found at the end as well.

Michael Blatter, Mirrorball: In spite of Fred’s illness and the crazy side effects of AIDS, he always maintained his twisted sense of humor.

Back in the mid nineties Steve Lewis and myself were running the huge Chicago-based KBA marketing agency that was doing the multimillion-dollar Camel Cigarette nightlife program in all the clubs in New York and around the country. One component of the program was a weekly full-page advertorial in the Village Voice called the Camel Club Page featuring all the happenings in around the scene that week. Being that this was Steve Lewis’ idea, he become the editor and writer. About a year into it, his old friend Fred had been really sick but was still in need of a flexible gig he could do from home so he could manage his treatment and get through the side effects of the AIDS “cocktails.” Steve generously insisted we give the gig to Fred.

Unbeknownst to Camel, who was footing the bill, my partner Kevin Berg (the money guy and brains behind KBA) agreed to let Fred have the job, including a nice salary and a home computer and fax. Fred took on the page with vigor, and although he was sick for long periods of time, he wrote and edited the page with Steven’s help for the next five years. Following one of Fred’s near-death experiences, he paid a rare live visit to the KBA local office on 21st Street on the same day Kevin Berg was in town from Chicago. Kevin had never met Fred in person but was always happy we were able to help a friend in need. When Fred found out Kevin was about to come over to the office, he quickly devised a way to thank him in person for his generosity.

Now at this point, Fred wasn’t looking too good -- quite frankly he was scary-looking, missing some hair, teeth, and other weird shit that comes along with AIDS. He had lost some of his handsome “Rocco Primavera” good looks. Just as Kevin was buzzed in and coming up the elevator, Fred grabbed me into the back office. He slumped into a rolling office chair and let his head fall on his shoulder like he was half dead. He then asked me to push him on the rolling chair out into the main room.

Kevin walked in in his usual upbeat mood and was shaking hands with the staff when I started to wheel out a “lifeless” Freddy. I pushed him right over to Kevin and whispered “This is Fred, the guy you have been paying to write the Camel Club Page”. At that moment Fred let an intentional drool run from his mouth and started mumbling “Keeeevvvvinnnnn, Keeeeeeevvvvvvvinnnnn.” Kevin turned stark white! Suddenly Fred came back to life! He jumps up out of the rolling chair and starts hugging Kevin till they both practically fell on the floor. Freddy then started dancing and singing how much he loved Kevin and how he had saved his life. Kevin nearly passed out in fear. The laughs went on and on ...

If only Fred could jump up from that chair now! Fred you are classic and will never be forgotten!

Also to be noted: a couple of years later Steve got busy with a new project (Life, I think), and we hired a young kid Terry Leonard to help Fred write the club page. An unusual pair, Fred and Terry became fast friends, and long after the Camel Club Page ended and right up until his death -- a total of 11 years -- Terry has been at Freddy’s side through thick and thin. Thank you Terry -- you’re a good man!

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Terry Leonard: Freddy met me in 1999 when we both worked writing for Camel and KBA. I was fresh out of college, and he was milking Michael Bladder for every nickel he could. He taught me how to get free drinks and food at every establishment in NYC. In the last 10 years, I got plenty of Fred time, as he lived only three blocks away from me. He liked smoking my weed and living vicariously thru me in my 20s. Many nights were spent so high that I know we had fun, but I can't remember the details. He became friends with all my friends, and together we all became some sort of strange family, and he was the Grandpa!

The Chashama peeps (Helena, Anita, Roxy) adopted him, as did many of my friends (Andrew, Charlie, Brett, JT, Jordon, LP, Josh, Logan). All my girlfriends (LRS, Ms. Brown, AC, Glass, R-House, HT) over the years put up with his abuse. Everyone loved him, but Freddy loved to push peoples’ buttons and tortured everyone with his bossy ways. But this was the way Fred always was as I heard from his family (Gary, Lisa, and Troy) over debaucherous nights in Woodstock or in his apartment. His friends (Charlie, JJ & Barbara, Marsha, Claire, WoWe) had crazy stories to tell me from the good old days of clubs, coke, and nights with Grace Jones! In the last few years, Fred and Charlie opened up the Apocalypse lounge -- a mini-revival of wild parties with David, Jimmy, Sandy, and Zito! This became the den of sin, and while the Apocalypse was not the Limelight, Freddy was given a blank canvas to create a bar which was his final great creation, and he loved and hated every minute of, it in true Freddy fashion. Even in his last days while he was under the care of loving Liva, he maintained his VIP status with the help of Helena and the support of the people who loved him. I will miss you Freddy, and so will all of the people whose lives you touched and tortured! I am just happy that I was on your VIP list for the last days of a true legend!

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Claire O'Connor, Claire O'Connor Public Relations: Whenever a person was in Fred's good graces, he would consider them "his." All celebrities were "his." There was "My Mick Jagger," "My David Lee Roth-bell Mista," "My Duran Duran," " My Robert Plant," "My Billy Idol," etc. The rest of us were "his" from time to time, and I loved it whenever he referred to me as "My Claire." I don't think I ever actually called him "My Fred," but he was indeed "My Fred." I knew My Fred very well, and he really started to slip away the past few weeks. I am 100% sure he would not have wanted any fuss made over him while he was sick, but I am also 100% sure that My Fred is currently expecting tributes, memorials, and celebrations galore. My Fred is also still accepting cash, gifts, and chocolate-covered caramels.

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Services: Sunday 12:30 p.m. at Gramercy Park Memorial Chapel, 353 2nd Avenue (between > 20th & 21st streets), west side of block. (212) 477-6334. Cemetery Service: 2:30 p.m. Beth David Elmont, Nassau County , NY. (516) 328-1300. 5:30 p.m. Gathering in New York City (restaurant to be determined -- probably El Quijote, 226 W. 23rd Street.)