Monica was just a kid. 

She lived in Hartford, Connecticut, but her story has taken her all over the country, where the panel featuring her and her mother has been seen and shared by thousands of people. 

She just wanted what every kid wants—to play with her friends, to go to school, to grow up. But she was faced with a positive HIV/AIDS diagnosis. But this doesn’t happen to kids, right? This wasn’t supposed to happen to her. It wasn’t fair. But, fair or not, she fought every minute of every day. She didn’t give up her life, she wanted even more of it. And right up until the very end, she fought to keep attending school. 

Monica lost her battle with HIV/AIDS on March 15, 2002. She was just 12 years old. 

But she’s still here. Because her mother, sister, grandparents, and cousins all shared her story and her struggle. And because Monica’s teachers supported her through it all—they even made her panel.

Monica’s legacy isn’t her diagnosis or her death. It’s her strength, perseverance, hope for other kids like her, and the love of her family and friends.

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