Ryan White
Ryan White
Ryan Wayne White was an American teenager from Kokomo, Indiana, who became a national poster child for HIV/AIDS in the United States after being expelled from middle school because of his infection. As a hemophiliac, he became infected with HIV from a contaminated blood treatment and, when diagnosed in December 1984, was given six months to live. Doctors said he posed no risk to other students, but AIDS was poorly understood at the time. When White tried to return to...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActivist
Date of Birth6 December 1971
CityKokomo, IN
CountryUnited States of America
On December 17, 1984, I had surgery to remove two inches of my left lung due to pneumonia. After two hours of surgery the doctors told my mother I had AIDS.
My studies are important to me. I made the honor role just recently, with 2 A's and 2 B's.
I'm just one of the kids, and all because the students at Hamilton Heights High School listened to the facts, educated their parents and themselves, and believed in me.
I came face to face with death at thirteen years old.
Rumors of sneezing, kissing, tears, sweat, and saliva spreading AIDS caused people to panic.
Financial hardships were rough on us, even though Mom had a good job at G.M.
This brought on the news media, TV crews, interviews, and numerous public appearances.
How could these people in the public eye not be afraid of me, but my whole town was?
I believe in myself as I look forward to graduating from Hamilton Heights High School in 1991.
I received thousands of letters of support from all around the world, all because I wanted to go to school.
Because of the lack of education on AIDS, discrimination, fear, panic, and lies surrounded me.
My name is Ryan White. I am sixteen years old. I have hemophilia, and I have AIDS.