Gerry Hail, an American who lived in Copenhagen since 1990 and was the communications director for the 2009 World Outgames in Copenhagen, died July 17 of an apparent heart attack. He was 51.
"It is so, so sad," Uffe Elbaek, who was the president of the 2009 World Outgames, told Windy City Times. "Gerry personalized all the best in the LGBT community in Copenhagen. He was fun, he was smart, he was politically-aware, he had a heart of gold and was the crazy but beautiful God of the dance floor.
"Last year he was married to his lover for many years [ Jesper Carl Corfitzen ] , got the job he wanted after the Outgames, and was in a great creative flow."
Hail was born in New York City and lived in San Francisco before moving to Copenhagen. He graduated from Harvard University.
He worked for the Outgames' organizing committee in Copenhagen from May 2007 through the end of the summertime event.
"Gerry was responsible for all corners of the World Outgames communication strategy," Elbaek said. "If you look back [ at ] the Outgames posters, the website, the folders, etc., you can nearly see, listen and smell Gerry in all the material.
"He was the best communication director you could have and, on top of that, the best friend as well. We will all mess him deeply."
Other news: In other news from the 2009 World Outgames, the Copenhagen City Council's culture and leisure committee approved plans to fund a cultural center for the local LGBT community from profits made at the Outgames, it was announced in early July.
The Outgames managed to pull in a surplus of 1.5 million kroner ( about $261,000 ) .
The idea for the new cultural center was inspired by similar initiatives in Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Brussels and Tel Aviv.