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.
Rumors of sneezing, kissing, tears, sweat, and saliva spreading AIDS caused people to panic.
Financial hardships were rough on us, even though Mom had a good job at G.M.
I was labeled a troublemaker, my mom an unfit mother, and I was not welcome anywhere.
How could these people in the public eye not be afraid of me, but my whole town was?
Given six months to live and being the fighter that I am, I set high goals for myself.