Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - January 7, 2001
Craig Jacobs and Bobby Jordan
Nkosi shot to fame during two recent international AIDS conferences in South Africa and the US, where he spoke openly about his disease, touching the hearts of millions.
Nkosi's adoptive mother, Gail, said yesterday she had been swamped with condolences, prayers and support since Nkosi collapsed last Friday after a seizure.
He is now in bed at home in Melville, Johannesburg, unable to talk and barely able to recognise anybody.
"People have been phenomenal. I was still getting calls last night at 11.30pm - from Palm Springs in America - and the calls started again at 7am. People just want to know how he is. They are very upset," said Johnson.
Nkosi's condition had improved slightly overnight, she added, and there was a glimmer of recognition when a friend visited him this week.
"This morning his little eyes seem a whole lot brighter," she said. "It's difficult to tell exactly how he is, but he's still critical. He hasn't uttered a word since Friday night a week ago."
That night Nkosi had several fits, lapsed into a coma and was rushed to Johannesburg's Coronation Hospital. He was discharged yesterday.
Although his doctors have managed to contain the seizures with medication, they say his condition is "grim".
Nkosi, whose biological mother, Daphne Khumalo, died four years ago from an AIDS-related illness, tugged the heartstrings of people across the world in July when he addressed the 13th International AIDS Conference in Durban. He was then invited to address a conference in the US.
Nkosi's Haven, an AIDS care centre, was opened in April 1999. A documentary on his life, Nkosi's Mission , has been shown on television.
010107
ST010101
Copyright © 2001 - The Sunday Times. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Sunday Times Permissions Desk.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2001. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2001. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .