Remembering Rev. Bryant Ali, the first Chaplain of Broadway House, who passed away on Feb. 20.

When Rev. Bryant Ali first came to Broadway House for Continuing Care in 1995, he encountered unspeakable sorrow. It was the height of the AIDS epidemic—before the development of lifesaving medications—and Broadway House residents passed away daily. As the facility’s first Chaplain, Rev. Ali stepped up to comfort families and staff.

Director of Social Services Gloria Horton, BA, CSW, CDP, CDVC, remembers developing Broadway House’s first palliative care program to support residents arriving from other facilities: “Broadway House was the only HIV nursing home in the State of New Jersey, and we received admissions from all over the country. During that time, there were no cocktails to treat HIV/AIDS. There was only one medication and patients were dying at alarming rates.”

In addition to Broadway House, Rev. Ali served religious and service organizations in a number of capacities, including as District Overseer of Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International, State of New Jersey. A recent celebration of life held in his memory was attended by many people, including 40 pastors from across the United States, as well as New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, First Lady Tammy Murphy. Ms. Horton says it was a fitting tribute: “On behalf of a grateful organization, I would like to say that Broadway House will miss Rev. Ali.”