LeRoy Whitfield

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LeRoy Whitfield (19 September 1969 - 9 October 2005) was an American journalist who chronicled his personal experience with HIV infection and AIDS.

Born in Chicago, Whitfield was diagnosed with HIV at age nineteen in 1990, and wrote a column, "Native Tongue", run in HIV Plus magazine since May 2004. He opted not to take antiretroviral medication, though his doctors suggested that he should. He also contributed to Vibe magazine and was an editor at Poz, a magazine intended for people with HIV. He focused on AIDS in his (black) community.

At the end of his life his T-cell count was 40, and his viral load 230,000. Nonetheless, he could not bring himself to take antiretroviral medication.

He died in New York of "AIDS-related complications".

He is survived by his mother; his brother, Crofton Whitfield; and his sister, LaRonya Whitfield.

[edit] References

• LeRoy Whitfield, 36, Dies; Wrote of AIDS Battle by By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Published: October 16, 2005