AIDS Activist Spencer Cox Dies At Age 44 [Video]

Spencer Cox has passed away at the age of 44.

Cox, an AIDS activist who co-founded the Treatment Action Group, died earlier this week at the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City of AIDS-related causes.

TAG executive director Mark Harrington said:

“Spencer single-handedly sped up the development and marketing of the protease inhibitors, which currently are saving 8 million lives. He was absolutely brilliant, just off the charts brilliant.”

Cox, who was also a spokesman for the group ACT UP, was featured prominently in David France’s recent documentary, How to Survive A Plague. France wrote a touching obituary for Cox on the ACT UP website. He also posted an outtake from the documentary on Facebook today.

Cox says in the video:

“What I learned from that is that miracles are possible, miracles happen, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I wouldn’t trade that information for anything. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what’d going to happen day to day. I don’t know what’s going to happen next year. I just know, you keep going. You keep evolving and you keep progressing, you keep hoping until you die. Which is going to happen someday. You live your life as meaningful as you can make it. You live it and don’t be afraid of who is going to like you or are you being appropriate. You worry about being kind. You worry about being generous. And if it’s not about that what the hell’s it about?”

Here’s a video of Spencer Cox talking about his outlook on life.

Anderson Cooper, who came out earlier this year, remembered the late AIDS activist on his show earlier this week.