It has been 20 years since Elton John was a pallbearer at his friend Ryan White's funeral. But the music legend has never forgotten the impact the brave teenager had on educating the world about living with AIDS.
In memorial to White, who died at age 18 in 1990 of complications from the disease, the music legend will perform Wednesday night at a fundraiser for the Elton John AIDS Foundation at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis.
"Ryan dedicated his life to helping future generations of children," his mother, Jeanne White-Ginder, said in a statement. "This event will celebrate Ryan's life and his efforts to fight against AIDS discrimination, as well as to help continue his efforts of education."
White contracted the disease after a blood transfusion – and he became a symbol of hope during a time when fear and misconceptions about AIDS were prevalent.
For more information about the cause, visit http://www.ejaf.org/.
Singer Sir Elton John and has partner David Furnish hosted their annual fundraiser for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in Los Angeles last night.
The Academy Awards viewing party was one of the night's best attended parties and raised nearly $4 million.
The annual gala is the leading fundraising event in Hollywood on Oscar night.
This year there was a live performance by Sir Elton John and special guest Raphael Saadiq, as well as a emotional first-hand account by Kerrel McKay who spoke about her experiences as an HIV/AIDS activist in her home country of Jamaica.
This year's guests included the event's co-chairs Victoria Beckham and John Walters in addition to Hollywood luminaries such as Sir Ben Kingsley, Quincy Jones, Keifer Sutherland, Whoopi Goldberg, Sharon Stone, Chace Crawford, Gordon Ramsey, Eric McCormack, Tim Allen, Taye Diggs and Ricki Lake.
Items auctioned included the opportunity to dance with Ellen DeGeneres on her Emmy Award winning talk show, which sold for $20,000; two jewel encrusted 10th Anniversary Elton John AIDS Foundation collection watches designed by Chopard went for $250,000 each; a one-hour tennis lesson by tennis champion Andy Roddick sold at auction for $31, 000.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in the United States in 1992 and in the United Kingdom in 1993 and has raised more than $150 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention and service programmes in 55 countries around the globe.
It has been 20 years since Elton John was a pallbearer at his friend Ryan White's funeral. But the music legend has never forgotten the impact the brave teenager had on educating the world about living with AIDS.
