In 1984, American teenager Ryan White was diagnosed as living with HIV. At a time when little was known about the virus and discrimination was rife, the teenager from Indiana became one of the human faces of the AIDS pandemic.
White was a haemophiliac and contracted HIV via blood transfusions. When first diagnosed, he was given just six months to live. As the 1985 US school year commenced, White’s health improved and he wanted to return to school.
Hundreds of parents and students signed a petition calling for the 13‑year‑old to be banned from attending because of his HIV‑positive status. The Superintendent of the School Board ruled that White could not return, despite medical experts assuring the board that he could not transmit the virus except via bodily fluids.
When the school term began on 26 August 1985, White was forced to listen to his classes via telephone. His family fought a long and protracted legal battle with the school that lasted nearly a year.
White is remembered as one of the first prominent faces of the HIV/AIDS crisis outside of the LGBTIQA+ communities.
He appeared with many celebrities, including Elton John, Michael Jackson, John Cougar Mellencamp and US President Ronald Reagan.
He spoke on chat shows about discrimination and worked to break down stigma. Actor Alyssa Milano, then starring in the sitcom Who’s The Boss, was White’s teenage crush. She appeared with him and gave him a kiss on air – again helping to break down fear and prejudice.
At a time when there were no effective treatments for HIV, White surprised his doctors and lived for several years, despite their initial prediction that he would die within six months.
He passed away on this day in 1990, aged 18, just one month shy of his high school graduation. Over 1,500 people attended his funeral, where Elton John performed Skyline Pigeon. Among the mourners were Michael Jackson, Donald Trump and Barbara Bush.
On the day of his funeral, President Ronald Reagan – who had been slow to acknowledge the AIDS pandemic – wrote a tribute to Ryan White that was published in The Washington Post.
Following his death, many charities were established, most notably the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars for research and support. Shortly after White’s death, Elton John entered rehab; the singer had visited White in hospital shortly before he died. He would go on to dedicate The Last Song to White, and proceeds from its sale were given to a fund established in his name.
Michael Jackson dedicated the song Gone Too Soon from his Dangerous album to White, while Tiffany dedicated her recording of the Diane Warren song Here in My Heart.
Shortly after his passing, the Ryan White CARE Act was passed by the US government and signed into law by President George Bush. It remains the largest funding program supporting people living with HIV in the USA.
In 1985 Freddie Mercury released ‘I was born to love you’
In 1985, Freddie Mercury took some time away from rock band Queen after signing a major solo deal.
The previous year, Mercury had released Love Kills, a track produced by Giorgio Moroder for a new soundtrack to the Fritz Lang film Metropolis.
I Was Born to Love You heralded Mercury’s arrival as a solo performer, an uplifting tune with a distinctly mid‑80s vibe. It was the lead single from his Mr Bad Guy album.
The song was a Top 20 hit in Australia and the United Kingdom. A second version was released by Queen after Mercury’s passing, with his bandmates adding new instrumental parts to the track. Easy‑listening duo Tuck & Patti later covered the song in a mellow style.
Lyricist Fred Ebb was born on this day in 1928
Fred Ebb is best known for his collaborations with composer John Kander; together they wrote many hit songs and musicals.
Ebb began working as a lyricist in the 1950s, but his career really took off after he met John Kander in 1962. The song My Coloring Book was one of their earliest successes.
Their first attempt at writing a musical was a project called Golden Gate. It was never produced, but the quality of the score convinced producer Hal Prince to hire them for his next project. The 1965 Broadway musical Flora the Red Menace closed after just 87 performances, but its nineteen‑year‑old star Liza Minnelli picked up a Tony Award for her performance.
Their next project would go on to become one of the most successful musicals of the 20th century. Cabaret was a huge hit, later adapted for the screen by director and choreographer Bob Fosse. The film version won Minnelli an Oscar, one of eight Academy Awards the film received.
The duo later created another Broadway smash with Chicago, which currently holds the record as the second‑longest‑running Broadway musical. Kiss of the Spider Woman was another of their successes.
Perhaps their best‑known song, though, is New York, New York, which became a signature tune for both Minnelli and Frank Sinatra. The song was featured in a film musical directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro and Minnelli. Later this year, a stage adaptation is set to open on Broadway, directed by Lin‑Manuel Miranda.
Fred Ebb died in 2004 after suffering a heart attack. He was 76 years old. His creative partner John Kander recently celebrated his 99th birthday.
