Who were Hydeia Broadbent’s parents? Community remembers activist on World Aids Day

Hydeia Broadbent, an HIV/AIDS activist, was fondly remembered on the World AIDS Day on December 1. Broadbent, who was born with HIV, made numerous public appearances to spread awareness about the virus, and passed away at the age of 39 in 2024.

As a newborn, Hydeia Broadbent was deserted by her birth parents in 1984, according to The New York Times. She was then adopted by Loren and Patricia Broadbent, as per the publication.

Another report by The New York Times revealed that Broadbent was not able to go to school till the seventh grade because of her ill health. She eventually began taking a special program and was able to learn at home with the use of a computer. Her mother, Patricia, told the publication,

‘'My daughter didn't have a formal education because of her illness. My priority was not school, but keeping her healthy for the time she had. I truly didn't believe she'd even be here, so I didn't think anything she'd learn would be important.”

On World AIDS Day, Broadbent was paid tribute by supporters and well-wishers who acknowledged her activism. Many netizens wrote comments on her Instagram page, where the last post dates back to 2022. An Instagram account which shares information on Black History, posted a clip from Broadbent’s 1996 appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and while paying tribute to the activist, shared,

“Hydeia Broadbent (1984 - 2024). Born HIV-positive and abandoned by her drug-addicted mother, doctors told her adoptive parents she wouldn’t make it past the age of 5. But she proved them wrong. Hydria traveled the world spreading awareness about HIV prevention and lobbying for better treatment and care—living until the age of 39. RIP”

Hydeia Broadbent spent her life working on raising awareness about HIV and AIDS

As a young seven-year-old, Hydeia Broadbent appeared in a Nickelodeon special alongside basketball player Magic Johnson. In clips from the conversation, Broadbent can be seen breaking down into tears as she said,

“I want people to know that we are just normal people.”

During Hydeia Broadbent’s interview with Oprah Winfrey as a young child, the activist touched hearts with her candid confessions describing her life while living with HIV. In the clip shared by Black History Studies on Instagram, Broadbent can be seen telling Winfrey,

“When I was born, I was HIV positive. And when I turned 5, I had symptoms of AIDS. I had fungus  in my brain, blood infections, pneumonia. I went Code Blue a couple of times.”

She also revealed that by the age of five, she was suffering from AIDS. When asked about the most difficult part of suffering from HIV/AIDS, Broadbent said at the time,

“Basically that’s like, when your friends die. A lot of my friends have died of AIDS. No one really knows how long anybody is going to live.”

While speaking to Essence as an adult, Broadbent reflected on her conversation with Winfrey, which made the television host cry, and said,

“I actually don’t remember her crying. I remember being on the stage and spending time with her after the show…So many people feel like they have watched me grow up, and are just excited to know I’m doing well and still speaking out.”

After Broadbent passed away in 2024, Johnson, who also suffers from HIV, fondly remembered the activist in a long post on X.