My how time flies and how far we've come when it comes to awareness and acceptance of those with HIV and AIDS in comparison to the 1980s. At the same time, we have quiet a way to go. One of the icons in the AIDS movement was Ryan White who died of AIDS on this day, April 8, 1990 at the tender age of 13. A hemophiliac, Ryan was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 from receiving a blood treatment that was infected. The story of this young man from the midwest helped to begin to shift our thinking that…

Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS following a blood transfusion in December 1984

Ryan White, the AIDS educator who rose to prominence after his public battle to attend public school in the 1980's, passed to spirit at age 18 in 1990, years before treatments were successful. Had he lived, he would have turned 40 years old today.

Today we celebrate one of the great heroes in the war against AIDS: a brave young man named Ryan White. He was only 18 when he died of the disease on April 8, 1990.

MJ with Ryan White....One of first publicly known kids to die of HIV....inspiring MJ's song "Gone too Soon" in 1993.

Medical Figure, American Folk Figure. He gained national attention for his fight with AIDS, helping to educate the public on its causes, its treatment and the risks associated with the disease. During the period from 1986 to 1989, he became the national poster boy about the problems of the disease and helped remove the...

Eighteen is a special time in a person’s life. In most countries, 18-years-old is when an individual is legally considered an adult and can assume control over their actions and decisions. As we move into the 21st century, the age of maturity has risen. A 15-year-old boy living in the Middle Ages had greater responsibilities then is expected today. When a young man or woman dies, the event has a lasting impact. People take notice when potential is lost at such an early age. This article will…

When a 13-year-old boy named Ryan White got AIDS from a blood donor in 1984, he was banned from returning to school by a petition signed by 117 parents. An auction was held to keep him out, a newspaper supporting him got death threats, and his family left town when a bullet was fired through their w

RYAN WHITE 1971-1990 Hemophiliac contracted HIV/AIDS. His school would not allow him entrance, for fear it was contagious. He became POSTER CHILD for Justice for HIV pts.

Local historians want to conduct interviews about the decision to bar teenager Ryan White from a central Indiana school during the AIDS scare of the 1980s.