HIV activist William Brawner speaks out.
Already 90 minutes late, William Brawner pumps the gas pedal of the rental van, jumps the curb and pulls up next to the 10 teenagers waiting in front of a half-abandoned warehouse on East Allegheny Ave., home to HAVEN, the drop-in center for HIV-positive kids.
The kids cram into the white van and let him have it.
"Will, we love you and all but it's 9 o'clock," one says as the others groan in agreement. Brawner, who opened HAVEN last January, laughs then turns up the radio and pulls away in the direction of I-95 and Washington, D.C., where in a few hours he'll introduce Magic Johnson at an event aimed to spark talk about the plague so many have forgotten.
Born in Washington, D.C., in 1979, William Brawner was accidentally burned from the waist down in hot bath water as an infant. He was rushed to Children's National Medical Center where skin tissue was grafted onto his legs and blood transfused into his tiny body, replacing the blood he'd lost in surgery.
His mother, having just graduated from Howard University, moved him to her family's home at 49th and Haverford. His grandmother and great-grandmother helped raise him while his mother studied for a master's degree from Cheyney University before going on to teach at Temple.
In the tough West Philly neighborhood, the Brawner family watched corner drug deals and stepped over crack vials on their doorstep. But the family was admired and well-known in the neighborhood.
Then, when Brawner was three, his mother received a call from Children's National Medical Center. A longtime blood donor had died of complications from what we now know as AIDS. The donor's blood had been used in Brawner's surgery.
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1. hahnah said... on Sep 16, 2008 at 04:09PM
“Quote from the ariticle: "Something about his body kept his virus at bay, which is very unusual." Wil and Bridgette: May God continue to keep you both in His amazing grace. Love, Gail”
2. Lady Lib said... on Sep 15, 2008 at 01:34PM
“I thought this was a well written piece. With the upcoming AIDS Walk Philly (Oct.19) and World AIDS Day (Dec. 1) not too far behind it--the PW should run a listing of where people can go to get free HIV Counseling and Testing in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware--by zip code.”
3. Ricky S. said... on Sep 12, 2008 at 01:24PM
“It is an honor, and makes me feel proud, to know the both of you personally. I thank you for sharing your lives with the world.. you DO make a difference (even if they don't get up and applaud or offer ovations after speeches)... it's hard to applaud when you are facing a deafening reality in your own life.. when you are grasping what could be so very possible for yourself... when we are left to examine our own risky behaviors and judgement.. there isn't too much to clap about.. but it's VERY necessary and take the absense of the ovation as confirmation that you were heard loud and clear. Thank you for blessing my own life... thank you and thank God for using you in this mighty way and giving me a little glimpse into what my own life means.”
4. Dekia said... on Sep 11, 2008 at 12:35PM
“I really liked the lede graf and the jump back to how Brawner got HIV positive - not obvious, effective.”
5. Jennell McHugh said... on Nov 18, 2008 at 01:07PM
“Hello. I am an artist in Philadelphia who recently lost my father to AIDS. I have a project in mind to help raiser funds for HAVEN in my father's memory. I would deeply appreciate it if someone could call me. Serena 267-616-1193”
6. N. O. said... on Feb 2, 2009 at 08:26AM
“I went to Howard with Red and Langley. I was with them through the good and bad times. Will, as close as we were, I had no clue! I am proud of you for the man you have become and the inspiration you given others. Keep up the great work. N.O.”
7. Jennell McHugh said... on Sep 11, 2008 at 07:11AM
“This exploration of observations reads well while subtly exposing us to complexities with which many infected individuals have dealt since the conception of the virus, although they are not alone. From misunderstanding to anger to denial to detachment to depression to awareness to acceptance to empowerment, these metamorphoses are universal but in the context of Brawner's life, crucial towards reestablishing our attention and priority to the goals of promoting education and healthy lifestyles, especially among young people. It is important to recognize the positive proaction of individuals rallying against the status quo of those more comfortable ignoring the problems that harbor Philadelphia and the world at large, especially in a way that does not slight the windy and troubled road in which those, like Brawner, traveled. This cover story is absolutely worth a cover; Bravo. ”
8. Christopher said... on Sep 11, 2008 at 01:35PM
“I really liked the lede graf and the jump back to how Brawner got HIV positive - not obvious, effective.”
9. ecortes said... on Sep 11, 2008 at 07:24PM
“This was such a great cover story. People are always asking, "Where is the good news out there!?" Well here it is. His story hopefully can inspire everyone out there whether HIV positive or not. This man struggled but at the same time knew he was doing wrong so he changed it. As long as you know what you want in life, no one can stop you; that's what I always believed in. It may take time and patience and he got it. ”
10. Dekia said... on Sep 12, 2008 at 09:57AM
“Will & Bridgette! Im am so happy and proud of what you are doing! God has truly blessed you both. Im always touched by your story every time i read or hear it and I truly feel honored to know you! Keep on keeping on (as the church folks say!!)”
11. Gail Ramsey said... on Sep 16, 2008 at 05:09PM
“Quote from the ariticle: "Something about his body kept his virus at bay, which is very unusual.” Wil and Bridgette: May God continue to keep you both in His amazing grace. Love, Gail”
12. hahnah said... on Nov 12, 2008 at 02:03PM
“william, this is your sister Bambi. I never knew of your struggles and love you even more for sharing them!!!!!!”
13. Serena Saunders said... on Nov 18, 2008 at 01:07PM
“Hello. I am an artist in Philadelphia who recently lost my father to AIDS. I have a project in mind to help raiser funds for HAVEN in my father's memory. I would deeply appreciate it if someone could call me. Serena 267-616-1193”