066: Eugene West, Jr.: My Life with AIDS
Today, I’m talking to Eugene West, Jr., who is living with AIDS. He tells his story—no holds barred—about being bullied as a kid, about his exploits with drugs and sex, about crimes committed by him and against him, about how he came to learn that he has HIV/AIDS, and about how he’s going to change the world. If you’ve seen Eugene’s TikTok videos, you know how open, honest, and vibrant he is. If you don’t yet know him, you’re in for a real whirlwind of inspiration. Eugene’s larger-than-life presence is an inspiration to all of us to be our unique selves, to tell our stories, to be open and vulnerable. In this episode, he talks about medicine, science, determination, work, god, faith, belief, love, and prayer. He speaks from the heart. He wants people to know he’s a good person. He wants people to be themselves. And he wants people to get tested. It’s scary. But it’s scarier if you don’t. What’s in this episode: Eugene’s experiences with childhood and young adult bullying His relationship with his family His experiences with drugs, sex, and crime The story of his HIV/AIDS diagnosis How this diagnosis changed his life How he educates others and shares honestly on TikTok The importance of getting tested for HIV His mission of helping people think differently, show compassion, mend relationships, and turn their lives around For full show notes, resources, and links, head to: https://www.meredythwillits.com/podcast Are you ready to go deeper? I am giving you the keys to the castle. If you enjoyed this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to subscribe so you’ll never miss an episode! You can also join us on Patreon for exclusive content you’ll only hear there: https://www.patreon.com/MeredythWillits You can connect more by visiting me on my website at https://www.meredythwillits.com/ or connecting with me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MeredythWillits34 or Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/meredyth_willits.