The Ryan White Story

I was in this movie as an extra at South Iredell High School when they were filming. I got to meet Ryan and found that he truly was an inspiration of courage and determination. This movie reflects that. It shows the struggles he goes through and the fierceness with which he and his mother used to overcome the stereotypical impression of AIDS victims during those days. The actors portrayed the characters brilliantly and got a message across that we all need to learn. I came away from this experience with a new sense of values that we are not judges. The things that we fear the most are things we are most ignorant about. I highly recommend this movie not only to learn about the person, but to learn a very important aspect of life. That each person is a human no matter what the situation and deserves the dignity of such.

The movie leaves out a few facts. The subdivision where Ryan lived was a very nice one. It was not depicted as such in the movie. Western High School is located in Russiaville, Indiana, not Kokomo. The meetings where parents voiced their concerns about exposing their children to the AIDS virus were orderly and civil. Other homes in the White's neighborhood were broken into at Christmas time. The workers at Delco Electronics donated money, that was given to Jeanne, so that she could replace the Christmas gifts that were stolen from her home. FYI...I worked at Delco. We built the circuit boards used in radios, not what looked like tire rims or whatever those were, in the movie. We actually had break rooms that contained vending machines for candy, food, pop, and coffee. (other hot drinks as well) I never saw any coffee pots sitting around. FYI.... Nor did I hear any dueling banjos. Kokomo was a booming factory town. Our wages at that time brought people from all over the country and from all walks of life. (That was before the passing of NAFTA, after which the blue collar jobs at Delco were sent to Mexico.) Most of the people in Kokomo were hard workers and known for being very charitable. Anyhow, square dancing may have been popular, somewhere, but not so much in Kokomo. I really took offense to the whole city being shown in such a negative light. Everyone that I knew had compassion for Ryan and only wanted the best for him. If some people didn't feel that way, I am sure they were in the minority. I wish the "based on a true story" movies were not slanted to further an agenda of some sorts. I am pretty sure that the facts about AIDS could have been addressed in a way as to not bring hatred toward an entire city. I have since moved to a different state and still hear from others how horrible Kokomo is. It definitely isn't LA, but to that I say, Thank God it is not!

Lukas Haas stars as Ryan White, the young boy who became the poster child for young AIDS victims.. the movie tells the story of his life and its ups and downs as he struggles with the disease and ignorance of the people around him. 8 of 10

This is the story of the late Ryan White & his family. After contracting AIDS from a blood transfusion, he's refused the chance to return to school (in his hometown of Kokomo, Indiana) after he becomes well from an opportunistic infection. Since it's the early 1980's not much is really known about HIV, so ignorance is rampant in this hick/redneck town & people make their lives miserable. Judith Light is excellent as Jeanne White, Ryan's mom. Fighting along with her son for his right to an education. The expression on her face as she watches the welcome reception he receives, at a new school after they move to a different town, conveys the happiness only a mom could feel for her child.

Because I lived during the era when HIV/AIDS was a HUGE worry, I remember pretty clearly the sad case of Ryan White. The boy contracted AIDS as a result of his treatments for Hemophilia...and folks in his community were so scared of the illness. After all, not a lot was known about the illness at that time. The school board responded by expelling Ryan...and the boy was the center of a media frenzy. It was a sad story...especially when so much of the rhetoric surrounding this was hateful by the folks in his community and the White family was treated abominably. Because of this, I basically spent much of the film in tears...and I think this is going to be the case with most viewers. It's a sad, awful story...no matter how it's told. This film is a made for TV movie that came out a year before Ryan's death.

So is the story well done? Yes. I am not sure how much they changed facts to make the story more cinematic...but it is very effective in presenting the story. Well acted as well...and well worth seeing.