Hydeia Broadbent, a prominent activist known for her advocacy as a child living with HIV/AIDS, has passed away at the age of 39.
Her father, Loren Broadbent, took to Facebook to announce the sad news of her death with a heartfelt tribute alongside a photo of her on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
The grieving father wrote,
“With great sadness, I must inform you all that our beloved friend, mentor and daughter Hydeia, passed away today after living with AIDS since birth.
“Despite facing numerous challenges throughout her life, Hydeia remained determined to spread hope and positivity through education around HIV/AIDS.”
See below,
Hydeia’s activism began at a young age when she was diagnosed as HIV-positive at 3 years old which later advanced to AIDS. Doctors initially predicted she wouldn’t live past age 5.
As a child, she appeared on various television programs, including a 1992 Nickelodeon special with Magic Johnson.
Following her death, Johnson himself took to social media to praise Hydeia for her bravery and dedication to HIV/AIDS advocacy, emphasizing her impact on education, breaking stigmas, and changing attitudes toward the disease.
See below,
Hydeia’s mission was to educate people about HIV/AIDS prevention and destigmatization. She emphasized the importance of awareness and dialogue, sharing her own story as a cautionary tale.
Actress Jurnee Smollett, who was Hydeia’s best friend since age 13, also paid tribute to her, praising her as a beacon of hope and inspiration.
Sharing a video compilation of their friendship over the years, she wrote in part,
“Witnessing her continuously triumph over tragedy and use her time here as a beacon of hope was like witnessing the divine in motion.
My warrior woman, who literally fought her entire life to save the lives of others, Hydeia raised the consciousness and fought to destigmatize issues around HIV/AIDS. Hydeia made us all better.
SHE LITERALLY BLAZED TRAILS WHERE THERE WERE NONE. She and I grew into women together and Hydeia was a huge inspiration for me to use my life for a bigger purpose.”
Watch the video below,
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Hydeia Broadbent leaves behind a legacy of activism and advocacy, having touched the lives of many with her courage and dedication to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS.
