well the story of the ray Brothers captured really International attention back in the late 80s the three boys from Arcadia all contracted AIDS following a blood transfusion and some of you may know this story if you've been watching this for years Fox 13's been following this family story for many decades now well two of the ray brothers passed away years ago and early this morning we learned that Randy Ray who is the sole surviving brother also took his last breath on Fox 13's Aaron Mesmer spo
ke with Randy's parents who say although they knew this day would come it was impossible to prepare for the Heartbreak now medicine is you know as long as you're taking it live forever I think that's how Randy Ray felt last year but deep down he and his family knew that's just not how life Works especially as he battled aids for almost 40 years and exactly one year after that story aired May 18 2022 Randy passed away I am just feeling kind of numb it's a numbing pain Randy's parents cliff and Lo
uise experienced twice before every time you lose something you're gonna feel that loss is as deep families in your heart the Rays have known this day would come since the late 1980s they were living in Arcadia and their three sons Randy Ricky and Robert had hemophilia they all tested positive for AIDS from their blood transfusions that year they spoke with Fox 13 as their story made International headlines I'm very worried about them I'm worried about you know what what what's going to happen t
o them after this is over with at the time so little was known about AIDS that the children were initially barred from school a federal court ordered the district to let them in over time the Rays learned to forgive people were just so afraid that they just wanted to protect their children and I get that but it wasn't long before the illness took holds he lived until 1993 Robert survived a few more years Randy meanwhile didn't just survive he thrived with the help of modern medicine and had a fa
mily of his own he never thought he would ever get married or have kids and let alone grandkids but God let him see all of that Randy's Health began to deteriorate in recent months but his parents had no idea he'd be gone so soon my mind's kind of numb today it really is a a whole lot going through it other than I've lost another son I think sometimes you get a false sense of security that he's just always going to be there along with that grief this family also feels gratitude Randy's parents d
idn't think their boys would live more than two years with AIDS so grateful grateful for all the time they didn't think they'd get and grateful that somewhere Randy Ricky and Robert are all together again we'll see him again one day absolutely Aaron Messmer Fox 13 News the funeral for Randy will be on May 27th at the tawali Brothers Funeral Home in Sarasota it'll take place at 1 pm
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