I received thousands of letters of support from all around the world, all because I wanted to go to school..

I spent Christmas and the next thirty days in the hospital..

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

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

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 reali….

Eventually, I won the right to attend school, but the prejudice was still there..

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

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

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

I believe in myself as I look forward to graduating from Hamilton Heights High School in 1991..

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, ….

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

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

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 n….

Listening to medical facts was not enough. People wanted one hundred percent guarantees..

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

I came face to face with death at thirteen years old..

Because of the lack of education on AIDS, discrimination, fear, panic, and lies surrounded me..

The school I was going to said they had no guidelines for a person with AIDS..

My studies are important to me. I made the honor role 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..