Ryan White

We had great faith that with patience, understanding, and education, that my family and I could be helpful in changing their minds and attitudes around.

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

Financial hardships were rough on us, even though Mom had a good job at G.M.

Most recently my battle has been against AIDS and the discrimination surrounding it.

Mayor Koch, of New York, was the first public figure to give me support.

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

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 was labeled a troublemaker, my mom an unfit mother, and I was not welcome anywhere.

Given six months to live and being the fighter that I am, I set high goals for myself.

Entertainers, athletes, and stars started giving me support.

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

The desire to move into a bigger house, to avoid living AIDS daily, and a dream to be accepted by a community and school, became possible and a reality with a movie about my life, The Ryan White Story.