When Michael Welsh joins others gathering at a small stand of Sakura cherry trees in Coal Harbour next week, he will be thinking of the countless young men lost to AIDS in the early days of the epidemic in Vancouver.

Welsh was among a handful of friends, volunteers and family members who quietly gathered to dig four holes in Devonian Harbour Park to plant the saplings in 1985 in memory of four young men who had died: James, Ivan, Gino and Randy.

He still hesitates to say their last names.

“The stigma was so great then, people did not want to be identified. We were very protective of people’s identities,” said Welsh.

At the time, no plaque was installed.

“We were worried about vandalism.”

On Oct. 20, community members will gather on site to mark the 40th anniversary of those trees, wh

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