Unprotected Sex and Medical Errors: Seven Celebrities Affected by HIV

HIV infection doesn’t always stem from drug use. Here, we delve into the stories of seven global celebrities who contracted HIV for various reasons, including unprotected sex, medical errors, and infection from loved ones. Today, December 1, marks World AIDS Day.

Charlie Sheen

Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen concealed his condition for a long time but eventually revealed it in a dramatic fashion—live on a TV show. He explained that he was tired of blackmailers constantly demanding money in exchange for their silence. Sheen mentioned an astronomical sum—around $10 million—which he claimed to have paid to extortionists. Eventually, he decided to stop paying and went public on television.

Media reports suggest that Sheen contracted HIV through unprotected sexual encounters. Moreover, after his diagnosis became public, several women claimed that Sheen had engaged in unprotected sex with them without disclosing his condition.

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury kept his diagnosis a secret until the very end, confiding only in close friends. However, on November 23, 1991, just a day before his death, the singer made an official statement:

Given the rumors circulating in the press over the past two weeks, I wish to confirm that a blood test has revealed I have HIV. I have AIDS. I considered it necessary to keep this information private to preserve the peace of mind of my family and friends. However, the time has come to tell the truth to my friends and fans around the world. I hope everyone will join the fight against this terrible disease.

Mercury stated that he did not seek eternal fame and did not want his image to be idealized. Yet, years later, he remains an icon for many. A recent touching story shared by the media illustrates this: after the premiere of the biographical film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a 12-year-old Queen fan panicked upon learning that her favorite singer had died, and from a terrible disease. The girl had believed the singer was still alive.

Rudolf Nureyev

The great dancer also left us too soon due to HIV. He was only 54 years old. During the Soviet era, even doctors spoke of such a diagnosis in hushed tones, so it remains unclear how exactly Nureyev contracted the virus. Rumors suggested a fatal coincidence: Nureyev allegedly ran across a road, was hit by a car, and subsequently underwent a blood transfusion that marked the beginning of the end.

Nureyev lived with AIDS for 12 years, undergoing various innovative treatments and working until the very end. As is known, the dancer lived in France for a long time and persistently sought permission for his mother to visit him in Paris. However, it was only after Gorbachev came to power that Nureyev was allowed to see her—already dying. The woman barely recognized anyone. The dancer himself passed away peacefully in Paris, without suffering, as his attending physician stated.

Magic Johnson

On November 7, 1991, NBA star and basketball player Magic Johnson held a press conference. He announced his retirement from sports and revealed that he had HIV. This news came as a shock to everyone: Magic was America’s sweetheart, with 9 finals played in 12 years, 5 of which were victories.

The personal tragedy of the athlete was compounded by the fact that his wife, Irving, was pregnant. The basketball player was tormented by the thought that he might have infected both her and their future son. Fortunately, his family members were not infected.

Journalists attributed Johnson’s infection to unprotected sex with multiple women. The team he played for had a reputation as a “team of lovelaces,” a reputation that both the players and the head coach actively maintained.

Today, Magic is over 60. He lives a normal life and participates in educational projects dedicated to the fight against AIDS. Only he knows how much he regrets the mistakes of his youth.

Isaac Asimov

For a long time, it was believed that the famous science fiction writer died from causes unrelated to AIDS. However, in 2002, his widow, Janet, made a sensational statement.

She revealed that Isaac had contracted HIV during heart surgery in 1983 (at that time, HIV was not widely discussed, and donor blood was not thoroughly tested). The writer recovered from angina and felt well, but five years after the surgery, he began to complain of malaise.

Doctors associated the symptoms with heart problems and prepared Isaac for another operation. That’s when everything was discovered. According to his widow, the doctors themselves advised keeping the revealed diagnosis a secret, “since even educated and knowledgeable people were afraid to touch a person with HIV.”

Ofra Haza

The fate of Israeli singer Ofra Haza is astonishing. The star survived two plane crashes but suddenly died in a hospital after being admitted with a cold. It was only after her death that it became known she had AIDS.

No one could believe this news, as Ofra led a modest life, refused frivolous roles in movies, and carefully guarded her personal life. She was married to businessman Dорон Ashkenazi. It is said that she agreed to this marriage only due to her parents’ insistence, as if sensing that the union would be fatal for her. As the media writes, Ofra Haza was infected by her husband. Dорон Ashkenazi survived her by only a year, dying from a drug overdose, and it was then that HIV was found in his blood. The investigation also showed that the businessman had suffered from the disease for about 7 years, much longer than Ofra.

Conchita Wurst

Austrian Thomas Neuwirth won the Eurovision in 2014, and four years later, revealed his diagnosis on social media: he is HIV positive.

According to him, both close ones and friends knew about the diagnosis. The singer explained his silence about his HIV status by not wanting to attract public attention to himself or his loved ones. He changed his mind due to the betrayal of his ex-partner. Conchita’s former lover resorted to blackmail and threatened to reveal that the famous Austrian was a carrier of a dangerous virus. The Eurovision star did not allow this to happen and made a statement on Instagram.