Ending all speculations and gossips about his health, actor Charlie Sheen confirmed that he is HIV positive. The revelation comes on Tuesday in an exclusive interview with Matt Lauer of “Today” Show.
“It’s a hard three letters to absorb. It’s a turning point in one’s life,” Sheen said.
The 50-year-old, two-and half-men fame actor, said he had to make the announcement to end a “smear campaign and extortion efforts”.
“I have to put a stop to this onslaught, this barrage of attacks and of sub-truths and very harmful and mercurial stories that are about me, threatening the health of so many others that couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said, adding that he had paid over $10 million to keep it a secret.
“What people forget is that that’s money they’re taking from my children,” he further said, “I trusted them and they were deep in my inner circle, and I thought they could be helpful. My trust turned to their treason.”
“That’s my goal. That’s not my only goal. I think I release myself from this prison today,” Sheen explained.
“It started with what I thought was a series of crushing headaches,” he said. “I thought I had a brain tumor. I thought it was over.”
HIV, which leads to AIDS, has no cure. However his doctor, Robert Huizenga claimed that “Charlie does not have AIDS.”
“We’re petrified about Charlie. We’re so, so anxious that if he was overly depressed, if he was abusing substance, he would forget these pills and that’s been an incredible worry,” he said, adding, “Magically, somehow in the midst of incredible personal mayhem, he’s managed to continue to take these medications.”
“I have a responsibility now to better myself and to help a lot of other people and hopefully with what we’re doing today others will come forward and say, ‘Thanks, Charlie,'” Sheen said.
Sheen said he shared the news with his ex-wives as well as oldest daughter.
“It hit her hard, but she recovered. She’s tough like her dad…I said, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but it didn’t seem like you could do anything for me and I didn’t want to burden you with all the stress.’ But she was a rock star about it.”
Talking about his future plan, Charlie told Lauer, “I’m approaching a time of more of a philanthropic approach in my life…It’s not great. It will be great again. I’m a survivor. I’ve been up, I’ve been down, I’ve been rich, I’ve been poor.”
“It’s another chapter in my life but it’s not commerce driven. It’s socially driven,” determined Sheen said.
“If there was one guy on this planet to contract this that’s going to deliver a cure, it’s me. It’s me. Seriously,” he said.
“I’m not going to be the poster man for this, but I will not shun away from responsibilities and opportunities that drive me to helping others,” he concluded.
[With input from Today.com]
Tags: Charlie Sheen hiv HIV positive Hollywood hollywood news
