6th Graders Walk for AIDS After Classmate Dies of AIDS

St. Michaels, MD

Reporter: Jane Jordan
Photographer: Kevin Byrd

A VERY SPECIAL LITTLE GIRL WAS REMEMBERED TODAY. MEGAN FOX DIED LAST WEEK FROM AIDS. NOW HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHO SHE WAS AND HOW SHE TRIED TO FIGHT AIDS. JANE JORDAN HAS HER STORY.

Jay Fox / Megan's Father: "I never was really concerned about it. You know, I always thought that well that would happen to the other people."

JANE JORDAN: "BUT IT DIDN'T...IN 1990 JAY FOX FOUND OUT HIS WIFE, CAROL, AND HIS DAUGHTER, MEGAN, WERE INFECTED WITH THE H.I.V. VIRUS--THE RESULT OF A CONTAMINATED BLOOD TRANSFUSION."

JORDAN: "HER CLASSMATES REMEMBERED MEGAN WITH A WALK AROUND ST. MICAHELS...JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER HER DEATH AND JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HER 12TH BIRTHDAY. TO THESE KIDS MEGAN WAS A HERO.".

Gwen Taylor / Megan's classmate: "She was so brave and she tried her hardest to stay alive."

Russell Wood / Megan's classmate: "She was smart. She was always ahead of the rest of us. She always got her schoolwork done and everything else. She was always helping people out."

JORDAN: "NOW THE TEACHERS IN ST. MICHAELS TALK ABOUT A NEW SUBJECT IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. THEY TALK ABOUT AIDS AND WHY SOMEONE LIKE MEGAN CONTRACTED THE DISEASE."

Maryanne Truscello / Megan's teacher: "We need to have all children aware that it can happen to anybody. We must be aware in anything we do we've got to be careful."

JORDAN: "JAY FOX AND HIS DAUGHTER SPENT MOST OF HER LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TOURING THE COUNTRY TALKING ABOUT AIDS. WHEN SHE WASN'T ABLE TO GET AROUND ANYMORE, SHE GOT A SPECIAL VISIT HERSELF, FROM THE PRESIDENT. SPECIAL MEMORIES FOR A MAN WHO HAS MET A LOT OF TRAGEDY IN HIS LIFE."

Jay Fox / Megan's Father: "(JORDAN) You've lost you wife, you've lost you're daughter. You're not a bitter man. (Fox) No, why should I be? What good would it do me?"

JORDAN: "FOX BELIEVES WHAT WILL BE GOOD FOR HIM WILL BE TO CONTINUE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE DISEASE THAT TOOK MEGAN'S LIFE. IT'S WHAT SHE WOULD HAVE WANTED. JANE JORDAN, WBOC NEWS, ST. MICHAELS."

JAY FOX MAY NOT BE BITTER...BUT HE'S GOT A STRONG OPINION ABOUT HOW TO FIGHT THIS DEADLY DISEASE. HE THINKS EVERYONE SHOULD BE TESTED.