Joey DiPaolo (born September 5, 1979) is an American

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

activist who is

HIV positive The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of th ...

. DiPaolo contracted

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

during a

heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...

surgery Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions (e.g., trauma, disease, injury, malignancy), to alter bodily functions (e.g., malabsorption created by bariatric surgery s ...

in 1984. He required a

blood transfusion Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood products into a person's Circulatory system, circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used for various medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood. Early transfusions used ...

, and the blood given to him came from an HIV-infected donor. DiPaolo had been diagnosed with a heart disease,

atrial septal defect Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart defect in which blood flows between the atrium (heart), atria (upper chambers) of the heart. Some flow is a normal condition both pre-birth and immediately post-birth via the Foramen ovale (heart) ...

, and surgery was needed to save his life. From 1985 to 1988, DiPaolo went through several episodes of sickness although none heart-related. In 1988, DiPaolo was diagnosed with HIV. At the time, doctors gave him one year to live and told his family that it would be best for them to hide his condition. Instead, DiPaolo became very active in school and, with the help of medicines, saw his health improve in 1989 to the point that he was able to live a typical life. In early 1990, DiPaolo became so ill early during that year that doctors gave him only two days to live. He recovered and was able to attend an AIDS funds gala where he met

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

football player

Lawrence Taylor Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the New York Giants. He is almost universally regard ...

. Taylor

autograph An autograph is a person's own handwriting or signature. The word ''autograph'' comes from Ancient Greek (, ''autós'', "self" and , ''gráphō'', "write"), and can mean more specifically: Gove, Philip B. (ed.), 1981. ''Webster's Third New Intern ...

ed a ball for DiPaolo, the two had a photo taken together, and DiPaolo disclosed that he was HIV positive. The next day, DiPaolo's disclosure was published in local newspapers. Schoolmates' parents threatened to withdraw their children, family friends began avoiding the DiPaolos, and crowds began appearing to protest at his school. A legal battle ensued between the family and parents of children of the school that DiPaolo went to. Eventually, a New York court decided that DiPaolo would stay in the educational center he attended. In 1992,

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aired the '' Lifestories: Families in Crisis'' special "Blood Brothers: The Joey DiPaolo Story". DiPaolo won a lawsuit against the center from which the blood with which he was contaminated came. DiPaolo is an AIDS activist. In 2000 he founded Camp TLC, Together Living a Challenge, for children who cannot attend regular summer camps because of AIDS. He resides in Staten Island, with his wife Lauren and daughters Joey Jayde and Vivy Rey, and operates DiPaolo's Barber Shop in Tottenville.

References

External links

* website is no longer activ
Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation

''Lifestories: Families in Crisis'': "Blood Brothers: The Joey DiPaolo Story" (1992)
at

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dipaolo, Joey 1979 births American HIV/AIDS activists People with HIV/AIDS Living people