Paul J. Yabor, a longtime advocate for people with HIV/AIDS and substance-abuse issues, died May 16 of a drug overdose. He was 55 and lived in North Philadelphia.
Friends expressed hope that Yabor’s death would bring more attention to the city’s opioid crisis. They said Yabor was active in the recovery community for about 30 years.
Jose A. Benitez, executive director of Prevention Point Philadelphia, said Yabor distributed clean syringes to active drug users a few hours before he died.
“We’re all in shock here,” Benitez said of Yabor’s passing. “It’s been a tough week for us.”
He said Yabor supported safe, supervised drug-injection sites for active users.
“Ironically, if Philadelphia had one, Paul might be alive today,” Benitez said.
Yabor was employed as a risk-reduction specialist at Prevention Point. His contributions included assisting with overdose-prevention training and distributing the opioid antidote Narcan, Benitez said.
Yabor was an effective advocate, partly because he spoke from personal experience, said Benitez.
“He was open and honest about his own experiences. It makes a big difference when you can talk about something affecting you personally.”
Other organizations Yabor was affiliated with include ACT UP, Philly AIDS Thrift, Philadelphia FIGHT and the city’s AIDS Activities Coordinating Office. Yabor also served on a state HIV-prevention advisory panel.
Sandra Collett was Yabor’s girlfriend for the past 14 years. She said Yabor was born Feb. 25, 1962, and lived in the Philadelphia region for most of his life.
Yabor didn’t graduate from high school, but he attained a GED as an adult.
“Paul’s main focus was advocacy work,” Collett said.
She said Yabor was very compassionate, despite his many challenges.
“Paul had a heart of gold. I’ll miss him terribly. There were some rough times in our relationship, but more good [times] than bad.”
Yabor spent many Saturdays volunteering at Philly AIDS Thrift.
“Paul was open about the struggle with addiction,” said PAT manager Tom Brennan. “Here was a guy fighting every day to keep other people alive. But he couldn’t save himself that last day. He would want people to know that the fight never ends. Telling the truth, as harsh as it is, honors the code of compassion and honesty he lived by. And it’s only that kind of honesty that can save other people’s lives in the end.”
Brennan said Yabor was a kind man.
“Paul mixed well with everyone. He was the most ‘people person’ you’ve ever met. Everybody here has been hit hard by news of his death. He was a beloved member of the cast of characters here for 10 years.”
Yabor didn’t have a specific job title at PAT.
“Paul was on the store staff but there was no job title for what he did,” Brennan added. “He just endlessly lifted and carried and made sense of incoming donations on Saturdays, our busiest day.”
Adam Proctor, assistant manager at PAT, has warm memories of Yabor.
“Paul was a great guy. I loved having Paul around. And he was an incredibly smart man. You looked at Paul and saw him as a rough brute of a guy. But he was very intelligent, very articulate. And a big-time activist. He was always going to D.C. or Harrisburg for one cause or another.”
In addition to Collett, Yabor is survived by his father, Raymond A. Yabor; a sister, Lisa; two nephews and a niece. A funeral service is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. May 26 at St. Timothy’s Roman Catholic Church, 3001 Levick St. in Northeast Philadelphia.
Prevention Point Philadelphia will hold a memorial service at a later date, Benitez said.