Ryan White

“ 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. I contracted AIDS through my Factor VIII which is made from blood. When I came out of surgery, I was on a respirator and had a tube in my left lung. I spent Christmas and the next thirty days in the hospital. A lot of my time was spent searching, thinking and planning my life.
I came face to face with death at thirteen years old. I was diagnosed with AIDS: a killer. ”

“ Listening to medical facts was not enough. People wanted one hundred percent guarantees. There are no one hundred percent guarantees in life, but concessions were made by Mom and me to help ease the fear. ”

“ AIDS can destroy a family if you let it, but luckily for my sister and me, Mom taught us to keep going. Don't give up, be proud of who you are, and never feel sorry for yourself. ”

“ A lot of my time was spent searching, thinking and planning my life. ”

“ My studies are important to me. I made the honor roll just recently, with 2 A's and 2 B's. ”

“ My name is Ryan White. I am sixteen years old. I have hemophilia, and I have AIDS.
When I was three days old, the doctors told my parents I was a severe hemophiliac, meaning my blood does not clot. ”

“ Rumors of sneezing, kissing, tears, sweat, and saliva spreading AIDS caused people to panic. ”

“ The first five to six years of my life were spent in and out of the hospital. ”

“ Twice a week I would receive injections or IV's of Factor VIII which clotted the blood and then broke it down. ”

“ How could these people in the public eye not be afraid of me, but my whole town was? ”