Meet Zachary Willmore, a 19-year-old college student. He spent his winter break plagued by flu-like symptoms that had him testing negative for COVID, flu, and even STDs. After the tests, Willmore expected to be in the clear but turns out there was a surprise positive for a certain diagnosis. No, it’s not pregnancy – we’re talking about HIV!
You must be thinking that the news hit him hard like a truck, right? Honestly, it did. According to Willmore, when his doctor told him on February 16th, “it felt like the world was ending.” Who wouldn’t feel that way? That’s like finding out your favorite ice cream flavor is celery.
But Willmore is a fighter, and he’s doing something his way. Wanting to take his 1.8 million followers (do they really exist?) on a journey, he’s sharing his experience, from his fears to confusion, and ultimately, accepting his illness. In a series of over 20 videos, he shares helpful tips like the importance of wearing condoms without losing an ounce of his joyous spirit.
Even with critics who accuse him of taking the disease too lightly, Willmore isn’t minding them too much. A podcast host with 600,000 followers tweeted about Willmore, saying “Bro thinks HIV is cute and makes him unique. Gen Z is so confused.” But according to Willmore, the criticism is baseless because the critics are “not being knowledgeable on the subject and not understanding why it’s important.” Well said, Willmore, you’re killing it!
If you think he’s alone in his struggles, you’re missing out. It turns out that he received a lot of love from his followers, with some of them even sharing that they’ve been living with the disease for decades. That’s the power of the internet. Sharing experiences gives a broader perspective on the world, and it’s always heartwarming to see people come together in love and support.
If you’re not in it, you’re not in it, but in the US, there are approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV, with young gay and bisexual men accounting for 84 percent of all new diagnoses for those aged 13 to 24 in 2020. Willmore was among those caught unaware, but his dad had his back. As an emergency room physician, his dad was quick to put things in perspective and assure Willmore that although it’s a chronic condition, it’s a treatable one.
There’s no need to worry about how Willmore is holding up because he’s doing just fine! Well, almost fine. He takes a pill every day at 11 a.m. for treatment. Soon, he could even take a shot instead. The treatment is working great, and according to his video on the 5th of March, there’s already a reduction in his cough and swollen lymph nodes. He even has more energy, which is fantastic!
Turning the spotlight from his college life to his HIV status was a difficult move, but Willmore is not giving up on educating the public about the disease. As a seventh-grader, he came out to his classmates about being gay, and he’s not about to stop now. Before you know it, he’ll be the poster child for HIV education (we hope he gets moola for that).
It’s easy to feel alone and lost in moments of shock, but Willmore reminds us that we’re always in control of our narratives. In early April, he reached a significant milestone – no detectable HIV in his blood. Let’s all shout yay for Willmore! We must say he courageously took on this disease with grit and humor, and he’s inspiring thousands of others while doing it.
