Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 at the age of 13 after he received a tainted blood treatment for hemophilia.. At that time, AIDS was poorly understood, and despite doctors having said he posed no risk to other students, many parents and teachers rallied against his attendance when Ryan tried to return to school. A lengthy legal battle with the school system ensued, and media coverage of the case made Ryan into a national celebrity and spokesman for AIDS research and public education.

In the late 80’s, Michael Jackson reached out to Ryan and befriended him. Ryan visited Neverland regulary and they both shared a special bond. Michael gave Ryan his favorite car, a red Mustang, as a gift a year before he died.

Ryan White died at age 18 on April 8, 1990, 20 years ago today.

“GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE, GONNA MAKE IT RIGHT”

Michael Jackson attended his funeral and sat next to Ryan’s mother during the ceremony. At the funeral, Ryan’s car was on display, when Michael started it “Man in the Mirror” was playing. It was Ryan’s favorite song and the last song Ryan heard in his car before dying.

The quote “Gonna Make A Difference, Gonna Make It Right” from “Man In The Mirror” was inscribed on Ryan’s grave.

Gone Too Soon

Three days after the funeral, Michael called Ryan’s mother and said he’d promised Ryan he could be in his next video, but now that he was gone, he couldn’t do that. So instead he asked if he could do a video about Ryan, and that’s how Michael dedicated his video for the song “Gone Too Soon” to Ryan White.

Ryan White was one of a handful of highly visible people with AIDS at that time who helped change the public perception of the disease. He helped to increase public awareness that HIV/AIDS was a significant epidemic and that more funding for AIDS research and more support for people living with HIV/AIDS was needed.

After Ryan’s passing, Michael Jackson continued raising awareness, most notably at Bill Clinton’s Inauguration gala in January 1993, where he gave a speech about Ryan White and sang “Gone Too Soon”.

Friends Forever

Since Michael’s death, Ryan White’s mother, Jeanne White-Ginder, often paid tribute to Michael and his friendship with Ryan White in interviews. Today, a phone conversation between Ryan and Michael that Jeanne had recorded was also published on YouTube.

This morning, to mark the 20th anniversary of Ryan’s passing, a fan named Heidi visited his grave in Cicero, Indiana. She first visited it last August, here is her story about that first visit that she sent me by email along with pictures of Ryan’s grave she took this morning.

I wanted to share my Ryan White/Michael Jackson story with you. I grew up in Indiana and was little when Ryan was going through his struggles. As a young girl, I could never understand how people could be so mean to a little boy just because he had a disease. He dealt with so much discrimination and hate. He has always been a sort of hero to me and since I also grew up loving Michael, it meant so much to me to know that Michael reached out to Ryan and his family, befriending them and being there for them. As you may know, Michael also attended Ryan’s funeral (sitting right next to Jeanne, Ryan’s mother) and burial.

I only live 45 minutes from Ryan’s gravesite, but I had never made the pilgrimage to visit him. Last August, after Michael passed, I felt that I was being guided to visit Ryan. I drove to Cicero with Mapquest directions in hand, looking for Cicero Cemetery. I made it to Cicero, but my Mapquest directions turned out to not be so accurate. Frustrated, I was looking for a place to turn into and get directions (Cicero is very small) when I said, “Michael, you’ve been here before, please guide me to Ryan.” I looked up and the cross street I was coming to was Jackson Street. I thought, “Hmm, ok, I will turn here and see.” I knew that could not be a coincidence. Sure enough, Jackson Street led me directly to Cicero Cemetery. It is a very small cemetery and I pulled in and found his gravesite right away. It was a very beautiful headstone, about six-feet tall, and had lyrics from “Man in the Mirror” enscribed on the stone. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day and I just sat there, feeling close to Ryan and even Michael.

Anyway, I haven’t really shared this story with anyone, but I thought you all might appreciate it. I just know Ryan and Michael are hanging out together, just like old times. God bless them both.

Heidi

To learn more about Ryan White and read excerpts from his autobiography about his friendship with Michael Jackson, go to: Malibu Fan Club – Remembering Ryan White

Story and pictures courtesy of Heidi @HDub3.