My name is Richard Powell, I’m 19 and I live in a quiet neighborhood in Santa Rosa, CA. I graduated from high school and am working for the Santa Rosa School District in their kitchen before going back to school for massage therapy.
I contracted HIV at birth. I can remember when the doctor told me and my parents that I was dying and would probably not live past the age of six – I was 4 years old. I was too young then to know how to feel, but I know I was afraid. I remember my mom, positive herself and very strong willed saying to me “It just means we have to keep trying.”
As a child, growing up with HIV was difficult. When I was old enough for kindergarten, a lot of elementary schools wouldn’t take me because I had HIV. My mother had to fight to get me into school. Throughout my childhood I lost a lot of friends because their parents found out I had HIV and wouldn’t let them play with me. When I was in 5th grade, one of the kids from school found out I had HIV and it didn’t take long before half the school found out that I had HIV. The fear, name calling, and hate that followed were horrible. The discrimination didn’t stop at school; at home people randomly threw rocks and hate messages through our windows.
From age 6 to 18 I attended Camp Sunburst, a camp for kids with HIV. Here, I met kids like me; I am excited about one someday attending as a counselor.
My sister died when I was 1, from complications of AIDS; I don’t remember much, but I know she was very brave. A few years later in 2004 I lost my mom when she passed away. I remember her struggle with HIV, in her final days at the hospital, they gave her medication to make her wake up; I saw her pain in her face. I could see that she didn’t want me to see her like that. Something told me to leave the room and remember her as she was; remember all the good memories and times we shared. I felt that’s what she wanted for me. I had a feeling that she thought it would have changed me, changed the way I viewed life, if I had seen her die. She was my mentor; my friend. She never let HIV control her nor did she ever feel as if living with HIV was the end of the world. She continued to live the life she wanted to live. Like her, she’d be proud to know I don’t let HIV ruin my life. I do normal things like everyone else my age. I finished high school and upon my return for this trip want to begin classes as a massage therapist. I’d like to settle down with someone eventually and start a family.
Sincerely,
Richard
Who’s Positive is proud to have received financial support from many members of Richard’s family at Camp Sunburst (http://www.sunburstprojects.org). Additionally Who’s Positive is gracious to Claudia Helbert of Perspectives (perspectives515@sbcglobal.net) for donating her time in taking photographs of Richard for his profile.
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