Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

People would get up and leave so they would not have to sit anywhere near me.

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

My studies are important to me. I made the honor role just recently, with 2 A's and 2 B's.

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

On December 17, 1984, I had surgery to remove two inches of my left lung due to pneumonia. After two hours of…

— Ryan White

AIDS can destroy a family if you let it, but luckily for my sister and me, Mom taught us to keep going.…

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

I'm just one of the kids, and all because the students at Hamilton Heights High School listened to the facts, educated their…

— Ryan White

We began a series of court battles for nine months, while I was attending classes by telephone.

— Ryan White

My family and I held no hatred for those people because we realized they were victims of their own ignorance.

— Ryan White

The desire to move into a bigger house, to avoid living AIDS daily, and a dream to be accepted by a community…

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

My name is Ryan White. I am sixteen years old. I have hemophilia, and I have AIDS.

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

This brought on the news media, TV crews, interviews, and numerous public appearances.

— Ryan White

Even at church, people would not shake my hand.

— Ryan White

Entertainers, athletes, and stars started giving me support.

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White

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

— Ryan White