Miami Herald; Thursday, December 16, 1993
Geoffrey Tomb; Herald Staff Writer

Snow came, crumpled green and dirty silver, from the hearts of 332 kids who met her for the first time two weeks ago.

Alvia Palmer-Michel has AIDS. She married into it. She thought her handsome husband was healthy when they wed on July 7, 1986. He wasn't. In December 1989, he died, leaving both her and the couple's new daughter, Riccardia, HIV positive.

Snapshots show a 4-year old Riccardia dressed in a snow white party dress, full of smiles on her cabbage patch cheeks. She died on March 6, 1992, a month short of age 5.

Palmer-Michel has dedicated herself to reaching out to children. This is what took her to Palmer Trinity School, a private school in South Dade on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day.

"I talked about how they needed to protect themselves, to protect their futures," Palmer-Michel said. "Most of these kids are going to go on and have families.

"Riccardia was my only child. I'll never get another chance. I should be putting pretty presents under the tree for her. I missed that. I'm not going to get another chance at that."

A receptionist at Health Crisis Network, she encourages people to ask questions about AIDS, questions she never asked until too late. She likes questions from young people.

"Kids are not shy about asking," she said.

On Dec. 1, one of the Palmer Trinity students asked her if she had a last wish.

Alvia Palmer-Michel paused. Then she began to speak of the little things in life, simple things like snow. Born and raised in sunny Miami, she had never seen snow. She and Riccardia used to dream of snow.

"We used to talk about making snowmen. I always wanted to do that with her, throwing snow, you know," she said.

The students were stung. "When she talked about her daughter, I saw boys with tears in their eyes. She touched their hearts," said Charles Latour, school chaplain.

After Palmer-Michel -- who has no connection with the school -- departed, the students got together, like a weather front, and began what they called "Project Snow."

"'Every child at this school gave money. And we made a deal. It came from them, not their parents," Latour said. Sometimes it came as quarters, usually it was $1 bills.

"Everyone from 6th-graders to jocks would come up to me and put a crumpled dollar in my coat pocket, saying 'This is for Project Snow,' " said Latour, revealing $73 mushed in two balls in his pockets, given Wednesday morning.

Palmer-Michel was lured into returning Wednesday, on the pretense that one class had been absent on Dec. 1 and wanted to hear her story.

She strode to center court of the school gym, ready for another Q&A. Then Latour sprung "Project Snow."

He asked each student to light a candle. "We have to look to others to find the light within ourselves," the chaplain said.

"Alvia, we've collected this money to give you a trip to see snow." She can go wherever she wants. Some $700 is in hand.

She looked right, looked left, looked up at the sky and began to cry.

"The holiday blues hit me double this year," she said. "I was questioning life, asking why am I here. It was going to be a blue, blue Christmas. Now it's going to be a white Christmas."

Students gathered around her, hugging her, patting her shoulders, adopting her. Over and over, Palmer-Michel thanked them for everything. Then came a message, dropped right into her lap.

"No. Thank you for everything. You have done much more for us than we have for you," said Jennie Block, president of the school's board of trustees.

"There is something magic about snow," said Alvia Palmer-Michel. Yes, there is.

CUTLINE: JON KRAL/Miami Herald Staff

SHOWING THEY CARE: Students at Palmer Trinity School hold candles after donating their own money to a woman who has AIDS.

CAPTION: PHOTO

Students at Palmer Trinity School hold candles, Alvia Palmer-Michel (2-AIDS)

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