This project was situated in recognition that some older gay men (50+) experience diminished quality of life (QOL) and health outcomes due to historical and ongoing discrimination in addition to living through a collective trauma – the pre-HAART era of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Pre-HAART, or pre-highly active antiretroviral therapy was a period in time - from the early 1980s to the mid 1990's -characterized by the absence of treatment, tremendous suffering, and rampant discrimination targeted at gay men. We drew on constructivist grounded theory (CGT) methods to examine how QOL and health are conceptualized in light of the sociohistorical relevance of pre-HAART, specifically, the legacy of the hardships and loss endured during that time. Twenty Canadian based gay men aged 50+ participated in semi-structured interviews via Zoom. Findings illustrate that understandings of QOL and health are deeply informed by experiences incurred amidst pre-HAART, which continue to have implications for how men think about health and well-being. The importance of close personal connections, cultivating emotional and physical wellness, shifting from surviving to living, and maintaining a deep sense of gratitude for life were key themes that have implications for resource development and health provider approaches to support the health and well-being of older, gay men.