
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 3, 1990                   TAG: 9004030528
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: INDIANAPOLIS                                LENGTH: Medium

AIDS PATIENT RYAN WHITE NEAR DEATH

Ryan White, the teen-age AIDS victim whose battle for acceptance won hearts and better understanding of the disease across the nation, was reported near death today on a life-support system.

His mother and sister remained at the bedside of the White 18-year-old, who during his 5 1/2-year battle with AIDS grew from an object of scorn in his hometown to an international spokesman for children with the disease.

"He's not expected to come out of it," said Carrie Van Dyke, director of health promotion for the state Board of Health and a spokeswoman for the family.

White, a hemophiliac who contracted AIDS from contaminated blood products, put a youthful face on the AIDS plight. He increased awareness of the disease and helped reinforce the message that AIDS cannot be spread through casual contact. His struggle was the subject of a People magazine cover story and a TV movie.

The teen-ager was admitted to the Riley Hospital for Children on Thursday with a respiratory infection and was suffering from internal bleeding that was inoperable because of his hemophilia, which impairs the blood's ability to clot, officials said.

Four years ago, White, who was diagnosed as having AIDS at 13, was barred from school near Kokomo by officials who feared AIDS could be transmitted to other students.

Even after a judge affirmed White's right to attend school, he and his family felt ostracized and moved about 20 miles away in Cicero, where they were welcomed by the community.

White's battle with AIDS sent him to Washington to testify before Congress and to California for star-studded fund-raisers. He gained the support of Michael Jackson and other entertainers, including Elton John, who telephoned the family Monday.

Last week, Ryan appeared with former President and Nancy Reagan at a pre-Oscar party in Los Angeles for sick and disadvantaged youth sponsored by Athletes and Entertainers for Kids. The organization has established the Ryan White National Education Program for Youth, an AIDS education forum.

by CNB