30: Ryan White

35 years ago today (April 8, 1990) Ryan White died.

He was 18 years old.

Ryan was born on December 8, 1971 in Kokomo, Indiana.

When he was 3 days old Ryan’s Doctors diagnosed him with severe Hemophilia A, a Hereditary Blood Coagulation Disorder associated with the X Chromosome, which causes even minor injuries to result in severe bleeding.

For treatment, he received weekly infusions of Factor VIII, a blood product created from pooled Plasma of Non-Hemophiliacs, an increasingly common treatment for Hemophiliacs at the time.

On December 17, 1984, when he was 13 years old, Ryan was diagnosed with AIDS.

Ryan had received a contaminated treatment of Factor VIII that was infected with HIV, as did thousands of other Americans with Hemophilia and Hemophiliacs around the world.

At that time, because the AIDS Virus had only recently been identified and there was no screening of blood products, much of the pooled Factor VIII concentrate was tainted.

Doctors predicted Ryan only had 6 months to live.

Despite Doctors telling Ryan and his School Board that Ryan poised no risk to other Students he was denied returning due to Angry Parents, Students and Teachers who didn’t understand that AIDS wasn’t Air-Borne.

In the School of 360 total Students, 117 Parents and 50 Teachers signed a Petition encouraging School Leaders to ban Ryan from School.

A lengthy Administrative Appeal Process ensued, and news of the conflict turned Ryan into a popular Celebrity and Advocate for AIDS Research and Public Education.

When Ryan was permitted to return to School for one day in February 1986, 151 of 360 Students stayed home.

He also worked as a Paperboy, and many of the People on his route canceled their subscriptions, believing that HIV could be transmitted through newsprint.

Ryan attended Western Middle School for 8^th  Grade during the 1985–1986 School Year.

He was deeply unhappy and had few Friends.

The School required him to eat with disposable utensils, use separate bathrooms, and waived his requirement to enroll in a Gym Class.

Threats continued. When a bullet was fired through the Whites' Living Room window (no one was home at the time), the Family decided to leave Kokomo.

After finishing the School Year, his Family moved to Cicero, Indiana, where he began 9^th Grade at Hamilton Heights High School, in Arcadia, Indiana.

On August 31, 1986, a "very nervous" Ryan was greeted by School Principal Tony Cook, School System Superintendent Bob G. Carnal, and a handful of Students who had been educated about AIDS and were unafraid to shake Ryan’s hand.

While isolated in Middle School, Ryan appeared frequently on National Television and in Newspapers to discuss his tribulations with the disease.

 Eventually, he became known as a Poster Child for the AIDS Crisis, appearing in Fundraising and Educational Campaigns for the Syndrome.

Singers John Mellencamp, Elton John and Michael Jackson, actor Matt Frewer, Diver Greg Louganis, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop, Indiana University Basketball Coach Bob Knight and Basketball Player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all befriended Ryan.

His Celebrity Crush, Alyssa Milano of the then-popular TV show “Who's the Boss?”, met Ryan and gave him a friendship bracelet and a kiss.

In 1989, ABC aired the Television Movie “The Ryan White Story”, starring Lukas Haas as Ryan, Judith Light as Jeanne and Nikki Cox as his Sister Andrea.

 Ryan White had a small cameo appearance as "Chad" in the film, playing a Boy who also has HIV and later befriends Haas.

Nielsen estimated that the movie was seen by 15 Million Viewers.

Ryan died on April 8, 1990 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Over 1,500 People attended Ryan's Funeral on April 11^th, a standing-room only event held at the Second Presbyterian Church on Meridian Street in Indianapolis.

Ryan’s Pallbearers included Elton John, Football Star Howie Long and Phil Donahue.

 Elton John performed "Skyline Pigeon" at the Funeral.

The Funeral was also attended by Singer Michael Jackson, and then-First Lady Barbara Bush.

 On the day of the Funeral, Ronald Reagan wrote a tribute to White that appeared in The Washington Post. Reagan's statement about AIDS and Ryan’s Funeral were seen as indicators of how greatly Ryan had helped change perceptions of AIDS.

The U.S. Congress passed a major piece of AIDS Legislation, the Ryan White CARE Act, shortly after White's death, which was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush in August 1990 and reauthorized twice.

 Through the "Ryan White Programs" it funds, the Act has become the largest provider of services for people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States.

In 2024, over half of the People diagnosed with HIV in the United States (more than 550,000) were provided care and treatment from the funded programs, and 57,000 Health Care Professionals treating People with HIV received education and training.