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In the 1980s, three young brothers — Ricky Ray, Robert, and Randy — contracted HIV through contaminated blood transfusions used to treat their hemophilia. What followed wasn’t just a medical crisis — it was a public reckoning with fear, stigma, and misinformation surrounding HIV/AIDS.

In this episode, we unpack the tragic and infuriating story of the Ray family: the school expulsion battles, the national media spotlight, and the horrifying act of arson that forced them from their home. As their community turned against them, their fight became emblematic of the broader discrimination faced by people living with HIV during the epidemic’s early years.

We also explore how Ricky Ray transformed personal tragedy into activism — advocating for awareness, education, and policy reform. His legacy lives on in the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998, which provided financial compensation to hemophiliacs infected with HIV through federally regulated blood products.

📚 References

1. History.com Editors. (2021, July 9). HIV-positive Ray brothers’ home burned down. History. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/august-28/hiv-positive-ray-brothers-home-burned-florida
2. Carter, C. (2025, November 7). “A town without pity” revisits a dark chapter of Arcadia’s history. WUSF. https://wusf.org/text/arts-culture/2025-11-07/a-town-without-pity-revisits-dark-chapter-arcadia-florida-history
3. Remembering the Rays: A story of intolerance, acceptance and dignity. (2007, September 9). Herald Tribune. https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2007/09/09/remembering-the-rays-a-story-of-intolerance-acceptance-and-dignity/28575891007/
4. Hemophilia Federation of America. (2014, March 23). 1998: Ricky Ray Relief Fund Act passed. https://www.hemophiliafed.org/1998-ricky-ray-relief-fund-act-passed/
5. Revisiting a tragic chapter in the history of hemophilia and AIDS. (n.d.). Hemophilia News Today. https://hemophilianewstoday.com/columns/revisiting-tragic-chapter-hemophilia-aids/