Portal:Indiana/Selected biography/17

Ryan Wayne White (December 6, 1971 – April 8, 1990) was a young man from Kokomo, Indiana who became a national poster child for HIV/AIDS, after being expelled from school because of his infection. A hemophiliac, he became infected with HIV from a tainted blood treatment and, when diagnosed in 1984, was given six months to live. Though doctors said he posed no risk to other students, AIDS was poorly understood at the time and when White tried to return to school, many parents and teachers in Kokomo rallied against him. A lengthy legal battle with the school system ensued, and media coverage of the struggle made White into a national celebrity and spokesman for AIDS research and public education. He appeared frequently in the media with celebrities such as singer Elton John, pop star Michael Jackson and talk show host Phil Donahue. Surprising his doctors, White lived five years longer than predicted and died shortly before completing high school in April 1990.