Ricky (January 28, 1977 – December 13, 1992), Robert D (January 27, 1978 – October 20, 2000) and Randy Ray (born June 3, 1979) were three
hemophiliac
Haemophilia, or hemophilia (), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruising, ...
brothers who were diagnosed with
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 immune ...
in 1986 due to blood transfusions.
Biography
Ricky, Robert, and Randy were hemophiliacs who contracted HIV from blood transfusions when they were less than 8 years old. Born to
Arcadia, Florida
Arcadia is a city and county seat of DeSoto County, Florida, United States. Its population was 7,637 as of the 2010 census, with an estimated population of 7,722 in 2014. Arcadia's Historic District is listed on the National Register of Histor ...
natives Louise and Clifford Ray, the family was exiled from Arcadia as community members feared contracting the disease. Memorial Elementary, in DeSoto County, would not allow them to attend school due to their diagnosis. They became the subject of a federal court battle against the DeSoto County
School Board
A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution.
The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...
to allow the children to attend public school despite their diagnosis. The Rays were victorious in their legal battle, winning a $1.1 million settlement. They were allowed to go back to school, but the Ray home was burned down a week after the 1987 decision, forcing the family to leave Arcadia.
After the arson of their home, the Ray Family settled in nearby
Sarasota
Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...
. The brothers attended Gocio Elementary School in spite of opposition from groups like Citizens Against AIDS.
Ricky Ray became an activist in the fight against AIDS. In 1992, he allowed camera crews to document his declining health and stated he wanted America to see what AIDS did to people. President Bill Clinton spoke to him and thanked him for his work raising awareness on AIDS. Ricky Ray died in 1992 at age 15. Prior to his death, he made headlines by planning to marry his 17-year-old girlfriend, but a judge blocked the wedding because of his age.
Robert died of AIDS related causes in 2000 at the age of 22. Shortly thereafter, their father, Clifford Ray, attempted suicide but survived.
Randy Ray married in 2001 and lives in Orlando, Florida. He manages his HIV through medication.
See also
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Contaminated haemophilia blood products
Contaminated hemophilia blood products were a serious public health problem in the late 1970s up to 1985.
These products caused large numbers of hemophiliacs to become infected with HIV and hepatitis C. The companies involved included Alpha Therap ...
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Ryan White
Ryan Wayne White (December 6, 1971 – April 8, 1990) was an American teenager from Kokomo, Indiana, who became a national poster child for HIV/AIDS in the United States after his school barred him from attending classes following a diagn ...
The Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and headquartered in Doral, Florida, a city in western Miami-Dade County and the Miami metropolitan area, several miles west of Downtown Miami."Robert Ray, 22, succumbs to longtime AIDS struggle" ''
St. Petersburg Times
The ''Tampa Bay Times'', previously named the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It has won fourteen Pulitzer Prizes since 1964, and in 2009, won two in a single ...
Orlando Sentinel
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company.
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by parent company, '' Tribune P ...