Nkosi Johnson - Who is the boy honored by Google on February 4, 2020?

Who is Nkosi Johnson honored by Google on February 4, 2020?

The story of a boy with only 12 years of life can only live on!

Today 4/2/2020, Google designed the Doodle image of a boy speaking in public to honor Nkosi Johnson and celebrate his 31st birthday. So who is Nkosi Johnson?

Google designed the Doodle image to honor Nkosi Johnson.

Nkosi Johnson (born Xolani Nkosi) is a South African activist. The boy was born on February 4, 1989 in a town east of Johannesburg - died on June 1, 2001 in his home town.

Unlucky like other children, Xolani Nkosi was born HIV positive. His mother, Nonthlanthla Daphne Nkosi, was HIV positive and passed the virus to his unborn child, who later died of AIDS. He is one of more than 70,000 children infected with HIV in South Africa every year.

Nkosi Xolani is a warrior. He survived his second birthday - unusual for HIV-infected children. When AIDS began to destroy Nonthlanthla Daphne Nkosi, she and Xolani Nkosi were taken to an AIDS patient care center in Johannesburg.

It was there that Gail Johnson, the Center Director, first saw his sick boy and mother.

The adoptive mother Gail Johnson and the boy in the last moments.

"When I saw them, there was a feeling of indescribable empathy inside me. Because before that, my family members also died of this evil disease. I didn't want to just watch or talk about it." Hey, I want to get started. That's when I adopted Xolani Nkosi "- Gail Johnson talked about Nkosi Xolani (later changed his name to Nkosi Johnson) and his mother, who died in 1997.

At the age of 7, Nkosi Johnson is recognized as the oldest AIDS baby to live in South Africa. With the instinctive love of a mother, Nkosi Johnson's foster mother fought fiercely (she went to court) to force the local elementary school to accept him as a student.

A year before his death, Nkosi Johnson caught the attention of the international community in July 2000 when he gave an impromptu speech at the opening of the 13th AIDS International Conference in Durban, South. Africa.

At that time, standing in front of the crowd, he loudly called for compassion in people for patients with serious illnesses such as HIV / AIDS, and contributed to the improvement of medical treatment for AIDS patients. , especially children and pregnant women.

After the speech and the positive work, Nkosi Johnson fought to ensure that South African children with HIV were allowed to go to school and not be discriminated against. Nkosi Johnson soon became a national figure in the campaign against AIDS patients.

The speech froze 10,000 delegates

Dressed in a dark suit and sports shoes, the small boy spoke on a summer day in 2000 - the year before he died. His life story made 10,000 international delegates dumbfounded in tears of admiration and sympathy.

That day, he said:

"Hello everyone! My name is Nkosi Johnson. I'm 11 years old. I'm an AIDS patient, I've been infected with HIV since I wasn't born . It's sad to see so many people as sick as me.

I know, my mother loves me very much and will visit me whenever she can. But when Gail's mother said that, her biological mother went on holiday in Newcastle (England) and then permanently woke up after sleep, her world collapsed. "

At the end of the speech, the boy called out to everyone: "Please take care and accept children like us, people with AIDS like us because we are all human. We are still very normal, we have arms, legs, we can talk, we can walk . All we want is to live a normal life like everyone else You won't be infected with HIV by touching, hugging, kissing and hold our hands. So don't be afraid of us, and don't discriminate against us . ".

Not only did he fight sickness, he also fought for the fairness of everyone.(Photo: Internet)

In October 2000, Nkosi Johnson gave a similar speech at the AIDS Conference in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). After the trip, his health condition weakened.

Nkosi Johnson died at 5:40 am Friday, June 1, 2001. Completed 12 years of living as a warrior, brave to fight disease.

After the boy's death, South African Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya acknowledged Nkosi Johnson's contribution."We South Africans - and all other people on this continent and around the world - must learn to recognize and treat humane people with HIV / AIDS unfortunate people. No monument is ever touched. to a human heart greater than Nkosi Johnson. The boy is loved and accepted, " Zola Skweyiya told the Sunday Times.

The boy's funeral was attended by thousands."It's a pity to say goodbye to that brave little hero," former President Nelson Mandela told reporters.