15 Celebrities Who Passed Away From AIDS - Page 6

When I was 8 years old, I visited a family friend who was on his deathbed. I didn’t know why he was dying. He was only in his thirties. He was never sick. But there he lay, frail, thin and suffering from an unknown ailment.

That was 1986, a time when the AIDS epidemic hit the United States. And although no one said it then out of fear, I now know that he died of AIDS. Many of us know someone who has been diagnosed with HIV. Some of us have watched loved ones pass on. If you haven’t known anyone personally, you’ve known of celebrities. AIDS is a disease that doesn’t discriminate according to wealth, fame or status.

In honor of World AIDS Day on December 1, we celebrate the lives of celebrities who’ve passed from AIDS. As always, please stay informed and protect yourselves by having safe sex.

15 Celebrities Who Passed Away From AIDS

Eazy-E

Eazy-E was one of the bad boys of NWA, blowing up alongside Dr. Dre and Ice Cube to become the greatest great rap act from the West Coast. In March 1995, the “Godfather of Gangsta Rap” announced that he was dying from AIDS. He said in his statement, “Before Tomika (his wife at the time), I had other women. I have seven children by six different mothers. Maybe success was too good to me.” He died weeks after making his announcement.

Willi Smith

One of fashion’s first African-American stars, Willi Smith hit fame and status at a young age. The creator of funky “street couture” fashion was a hit in stores in France and England. Making over $25 million from his designs in 1986, Smith died of AIDS at the young age of 39.

Alvin Ailey

Alvin Ailey has inspired hundreds of African American dancers to live their dreams. A great American choreographer, he is credited with increasing African-American participation in modern dance through his shows and his school, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ailey received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988 and died of AIDS a year later, in 1989.

Fela Kuti

Fela, the king of the Afrobeat, spread awareness through his politically-conscience music. His upbeat songs drew international acclaim and attention as he sang about European colonialism and government corruption in his native Nigeria. Marrying 27 of his dancers, Fela was known for his love of women. He died of AIDS in 1997 at the age of 58.

Franklyn Seales

Born in  St. Vincent, Seales is best known for his role on the hit comedy series Silver Spoons. On the show, he played Dexter Stuffins, a business manager and family friend. He also appeared in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Taming of the Shrew. The actor died from complications due to AIDS on May 14, 1990 at his family’s home in Brooklyn, New York. He was only 37.

Jermaine Stewart

Jermaine Stewart was an American pop singer. The Columbus, Ohio native’s hits’ include “The Word is Out” and “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off.” From performing on American Bandstand to becoming a backup singer for Shalamar and The Staple Sisters, his love of music was apparent, leading to a solo recording deal with Arista Records. On March 17, 1997, Stewart died of liver cancer caused by AIDS.

Robert Reed

Robert Reed is best known for his role as Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch. The loving and sensible husband and father of six graced our television screens from 1960-1974. He was diagnosed with HIV, but kept it a secret. Reed died of colon cancer in 1992 at the age of 52, at which point the public learned that he was gay, as well as HIV-positive.

Gia Carangi

One of the hottest supermodels of her time, Gia Carangi appeared on the covers of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. She was also the face of Armani, Christian Dior, and Versace. With her success came demons. Carangi became addicted to heroin, contracting AIDS from needle use. She died at the young age of 26 in 1986.

Freddie Mercury

The lead singer of the popular rock group Queen was only 45 when he died of AIDS. Known for his four-octave range, Mercury was also a talented song writer. There was speculation that he was HIV-positive, which he admitted publicly before his death in 1991.

Liberace

The death of the infamous and flamboyant piano mastermind was said to be due to congestive heart failure. Years later, an autopsy confirmed that Liberace had HIV though he never gave a statement saying that he was HIV-positive or homosexual. The pianist died in 1987 at the age of 67.

Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins received an Academy Award nomination for his role in Friendly Persuasion. Perkins was also a theater actor who received many Tony Award nominations. His most notable role, however, was Norman Bates in Psycho. Decades later, Perkins kept a secret–that he had been diagnosed with AIDS. He feared he would not get any acting roles if he went public. Perkins died on September 12, 1992 from pneumonia related to AIDS.

Pedro Zamora

Pedro became known to the public as a member of The Real World: San Francisco. Becoming the face of HIV/AIDS in the early 1990s, he learned that he was HIV positive as a junior in high school. Soon after, he became an HIV/AIDS activist, educating youth on the importance of safe sex. He died in 1994 at the young age of 22.

Elizabeth Glaser

Elizabeth Glaser was the wife of TV actor and director Paul Michael Glaser. When she gave birth to their daughter, Ariel, Glaser received a blood transfusion that had the virus. Still breastfeeding, she unknowingly passed on the virus to her daughter. Ariel died at only 7 years old. That’s when Glaser took action and founded the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Her foundation raises awareness and funds for kids and teens with AIDS. Elizabeth died in 1994.

Rock Hudson

Rock Hudson was the first celebrity to die of AIDS. He kept his illness a secret while continuing to work in Hollywood. The leading man in many romantic comedies of the 1950s and 1960s publicly admitted to having AIDS on July 25, 1985. While in Paris for treatment, he released a press release announcing that he was dying of AIDS. He passed away shortly after the announcement on October 5, 1985. Elizabeth Taylor, his Giant co-star, dedicated her life to raising funds for AIDS after the loss.

Sujeiry Gonzalez is the Love Guru for Exitos 93.9FM, a relationship expert and the author of Love Trips. Get her relationship advice daily on LoveSujeiry.com.