How does an adolescent survive abandonment, abuse and the juvenile system? How does a man educate himself about life and what or who he should be as a man? How does a person diagnosed with the Human Immune Deficiency Virus live for twenty-five years? This is my life story, the struggles, mistakes and blessings rolled up in a few pages. I have endeavored to give some understanding and a human face to the disease that is affecting our world at an ever-increasing rate. This is a book about perseverance and fortitude. There are flashes of memories from those who have passed my way and then passed on. There are poems that I use to interpret nuances of my feelings about the virus and perceptions on how to further educate the community. Most of all I have tried to impart hope for the families touched by this pandemic.