Hydeia Broadbent, a prominent HIV activist from childhood, has passed away at the age of 39. Despite being born with HIV and being told she wouldn’t live past the age of five, she dedicated her life to advocating for HIV awareness and education.
Ms. Broadbent gained media attention as part of America’s “first generation of children born HIV positive” in the late 1980s. Diagnosed at the age of three, she became an inspirational figure in the early days of HIV/AIDS advocacy, when living with the virus was extremely challenging.
Her adoptive parents, Loren and Patricia Broadbent, adopted her after she was abandoned as an infant and were initially told she wouldn’t live past five. Despite facing numerous challenges, Ms. Broadbent remained determined to spread hope and positivity through HIV/AIDS education.
At the age of six, she began speaking publicly about her diagnosis, aiming to reduce the stigma surrounding the virus, particularly for children. One of her notable moments was in 1992 when, at the age of eight, she appeared on a Nickelodeon special about HIV and AIDS alongside basketball star Magic Johnson, shortly after he announced his own HIV diagnosis. Johnson described the moment as both sad and inspirational, leading him to further advocate for awareness and education about the disease.
Ms. Broadbent continued her advocacy work before the availability of medications that could make living with HIV more manageable. In 1996, at the age of 12, she addressed the Republican National Convention with a powerful poem, declaring her aspirations despite living with AIDS.
In 2002, Ms. Broadbent and her mother co-wrote a memoir titled “You Get Past The Tears: A Memoir Of Love And Survival,” sharing their family’s experiences. Despite facing personal challenges, including depression, she celebrated her 34th birthday in 2018 and reflected on her journey.
Her death is a loss to the HIV/AIDS advocacy community, and Magic Johnson expressed devastation at the news. Hydeia Broadbent’s legacy lives on through her decades-long commitment to spreading awareness, reducing stigma, and inspiring others to persevere despite the challenges of living with HIV.