In the past, being diagnosed with HIV carried a stigma that made many people, including celebrities, reluctant to speak about their HIV-positive status and, unfortunately, also almost always led to death. As understanding about the devastating virus has broadened and improvements in medicine has increased in leaps and bounds, the topic has been discussed more and some celebrities are much more open about it in order to create awareness. Over the years a few stars were revealed to have been diagnosed with HIV and, while some sadly passed away, others have been able to live a full life with the illness. Check out 8 celebrities who have been diagnosed with HIV.
8. Robert Reed
Robert Reed was one of the most recognizable faces of the 70s and 80s thanks to his role as Mike Brady in the beloved TV series The Brady Bunch, a role he held from 1969-1974. Due to the era, the fact he was HIV positive was kept a secret as was the fact he was gay because he thought it would damage his career. Reed was married to a woman, Marilyn Rosenberger, for five years; however, after his death his co-stars spoke out about his sexual orientation, confirming they knew but did not discuss it with Reed. Reed passed away in 1992 after being diagnosed with colon cancer but, following his death, details of his death certificate were made public which revealed his HIV positive status and his doctor listed it as a “significant condition that contributed to death.”
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