Danny Pintauro says Charlie Sheen ‘did the right thing’ by disclosing HIV status
Actor Danny Pintauro has praised Charlie Sheen for revealing he is HIV-positive.
Pintauro said Sheen, who revealed in an interview yesterday with the Today show that he is HIV-positive, has made “the right decision”.
The Who’s the Boss star shares the experience with Sheen, as he revealed he is HIV-positive with an interview with Oprah Winfrey last month.
In a statement to Us Weekly, he said: “I have been there and I know that feeling. The sheer terror followed by sudden relief is powerful and life changing.
“To have Matt read those supportive tweets must have instantly affirmed to Charlie that he had made the right decision by sharing his truth.”
Pintauro said another thing he had in common with Sheen was the length of time that went by before he felt he could disclose his status.
He went for twelve years before he opened up about his status.
Sheen went to “great lengths”, he said to hide that he had been diagnosed with HIV. Speaking about it yesterday, Sheen said he had spent millions of dollars paying off blackmailers.
Pintauro added: “The effect stigma has on HIV has never been clearer — as Charlie’s story indicates, people will go to great lengths to keep others from knowing their status.
“There are currently 1.2 million people living with HIV in the [US]. Sadly too many are afraid to share their status even with those closest to them. How many people are so terrified of the stigma surrounding ‘those three letters’ that they can’t even bring themselves to get tested in the first place?”
Charlie Sheen also penned an open letter, after revealing he is HIV-positiveto thwart blackmailers and tabloid smears.
