"A Whisper Of AIDS" By Mary Fisher: The Life-Changing Experience

Fisher’s robust life changing speech brought the world together to heal from this deranged disease we call AIDS. Fisher was an outspoken, powerful speaker. She put her feelings and what she has been through in the past to create a moving speech to bring people together to fix this disease. She changed people’s opinions on it and made sure everyone knew right from wrong when it came AIDS. Mary Fisher’s “A Whisper of AIDS” speech is one of the most uplifting speeches today especially for women because of her life leading up to the speech, the strong message throughout her life experience and the outturn of her powerful speech.

To start, Mary Fisher’s life has impacted on what she has done today. Mary Fisher’s life began on April 6, 1948, in Louisville, Kentucky. She was born into Judaism, but explores the changing nature of each religion. Mary’s real name is Lizabeth Davis Frehling. When she was four, her parents divorced, and her mom remarried a man named Max Fisher. He adopted her, and that is where her current name came from. Fisher went to highschool in Michigan, then, later on, attended the University of Michigan for a year. She left school to pursue her dream of being a television producer. Working as the first female “advance man”, Fisher got to work with Gerald R. Ford, and later the President of the US. Her first marriage ended quickly, and was later getting alcoholism treatment. After she was clean, she moved to New York where she met her second husband, Brian Campbell. While expanding their family, they moved to Florida. They had a son named Max, and a few years later adopted Zach. After being married for 3 years, Campell filed for divorce. A year later, he told Fisher he was HIV-positive. Fisher states, “I found myself just being there for him. I didn’t think I was at risk. I didn’t understand.” (American Aids Magazine). She was mainly worried for Max, but after he tested negative, she tested positive. This is whisn he life completely changed. Fisher also states, “The world started spinning. I just almost couldn’t believe that it would be true.” And the inevitable self-questioning began. “Why me? Am I going to die?” (American Aids Magazine). Mary feared for her lifehis but was glad her son did not contain it. Mary continues to ask herself why this has happened to her and how this is going to impact her life so greatly. And that is how her life-changing speech came about.

Furthermore, the content of life changing Mary Fisher’s speech was so powerful that it crowded millions of people into engaging in her story and hearing what she had to say. Fisher wanted to share her story as well as raise awareness of how serious this disease was. Mary Fisher begins to speak on the nation as a whole. She states, “Until we genuinely embrace this message, we are a nation at risk.” Fisher hoped to bring people together and let everyone heal because of this terrible disease. She says we must break out of our shells and reach out for help to protect our children. Of young adults during that time, AIDS was the third leading killer. She made sure that the people understood that anyone can get this disease at any moment no matter who they are. Fisher states, “In the context of an election year, I ask you, here in this great hall, or listening in the quiet of your home to recognize that AIDS virus is not a political creature. It does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican; it does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old.” Fisher wanted to be known as a leader. She wanted her kids to know that they should have no fear and be a messenger when the country needs it. Her main message of the whole speech was; “Learn with me the lessons of history and grace, so my children will not be afraid to say the word 'AIDS' when I am gone. Then, their children and yours may not need to whisper it at all.” Overall, Fisher wanted to make a change. She wanted to wipe away the fear that millions of people had of this disease. To make sure people understand you can not judge who gets this disease because it can affect anyone and everyone. She wanted to make sure everyone knew to work together to end this disease and to reach out for help when needed.

In conclusion, Mary Fisher’s life changing experience has been tremendously after her astonishing speech. Fisher has started many foundations, authored many books, and made artwork. Fisher states, “There's a lot of anger surrounding this disease,” she says. “I don’t like to live anger, so I put it in my work.” She has been put through so much, and she decides to put all of that anger into her work for others. Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer which motivated her to do many things. She established the “Family AIDS Network”, which assists families to bond because of AIDS and the results of it. Mary Fisher Productions states, “founding the Clinical AIDS Research and Education (CARE) Fund in connection with the Center for AIDS Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and she began her first of what are now “routine” global advocacy tours.” These foundations have helped people find a safe place to talk and get help about AIDS. Also while healing from the care of breast cancer, she wrote a second memoir; “My first memoir in 1995 was my story about dying,” she explained. “Messenger is my story about living.” (Mary Fisher). Fisher has also put her thoughts and feelings into artwork. Mary Fisher Productions states, “Over the past two decades, Mary has balanced her passion for art and her commitment as an advocate.” Fisher has an art studio in West Palm Beach, Florida. She has many beautiful pieces of artwork displayed, that all have a special meaning to her story. In addition to all of this, she has written six new books and continued to travel the world and give speeches. She has traveled the world as a “Special Representative of the United Nations” speaking on justice and relief on people strained from AIDS, violence, and poverty. Fisher has took this event that has happened in her life and made it a way to help others and spread positivity throughout the world. She has truly helped people around the world and is an influence in the nation today.

Mary Fisher's speech was life changing. Fisher’s speech has cured people’s loneliness and made people feel like they had a safe place to talk and work things out. She did this by using her past and put it in her speech, the brave content, and the amazing things she did after she delivered that piece. Mary Fisher was put through terrible things, and she used those emotional times to make people’s lives better. She made people feel like they had someone to talk and listen to when feeling down. After her big speech, she continued to write books, give more speeches around the world, and produce artwork. She cured people’s fear of this disease. She truly made this world a better place.