Raised in a socially prominent Michigan family, Mary Fisher seemed to have it
all. When she went on to become Gerald Ford's first "advanceman" and later a
television producer, she continued to appear to lead a charmed life. She
socialized with important and often famous friends, and eventually married a
handsome artist with whom she had two sons. The marriage ended in divorce, but
Mary thrived in her roles as mother and artist, until her world was turned
upside down by the news from her ex-husband that he had AIDS. An HIV test
revealed that Mary, too, was infected. Terrified, struggling against fear,
depression, and anger, Mary ultimately found a new life mission in her positive
status -- she began to educate others on the battle against prejudice and AIDS.
The inauguration of this mission came when she spoke at the 1992 Republican
National Convention about the need for compassion and activism in the face of
this epidemic. Three years later she continues to speak out. I'll Not Go
Quietly, Fisher's second collection of speeches and photographs,
presents her strategy for dealing with the AIDS pandemic: tolerance, research,
caring, and a nonjudgmental response to AIDS and its causes. As the mother of
two healthy young boys, she also discusses the importance of family support for
people with HIV/AIDS, and the future that children today face in a world where
so many lives have been touched by this disease.
