Rae Lewis-Thornton

Rae Lewis-Thornton is my hero because she refuses to let AIDS define who she is. Lewis-Thornton told the world of her HIV status several years ago, and she continues to educate people today.

At 23, Rae Lewis-Thornton was diagnosed with HIV, and, eight years later, with full-blown AIDS. Since then she’s been speaking to the public about her personal experience living with this disease. Rae uses her life as an example that AIDS can happen to anyone— rich, poor, black, white, educated, popular. She got an Emmy Award for an ongoing series of first-person stories on “Living with AIDS” that she did for CBS. Rae Lewis-Thornton leads her own unending fight to educate and challenge people to take control of their own bodies, futures and health. She even created a foundation to help fund AIDS education to teach people about HIV/AIDS.