Background
The image shows Kirby, near death, a vacant look in his face, and his father holding his son"s head in a moment of grief.
The image shows Kirby, near death, a vacant look in his face, and his father holding his son"s head in a moment of grief.
The image was published in Life magazine, which called it the "picture that changed the face of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome". Life featured the image in its November 1990 issue, after which it gained first national and then international attention. The picture was later used by Benetton in an advertising campaign, with the permission of Kirby"s family, who felt that its use would carry the message of how devastating the disease was.
While a patient at Pater Noster, Kirby established a relationship with Therese Frare, a college student from Ohio University.
Frare was at Pater Noster for college project cr shadowing a caregiver, named Peta, who was providing care to Kirby. Peta, who self-identified as transgender, was also Human Immunodeficiency Virus positive and formed a strong bond of trust with Kirby and Kirby"s family.
Because of the relationship between Peta and Frare, Kirby became familiar with Frare. He said that Frare could photograph him in his declining condition, as long as the pictures would not be used for profit.
Frare was with Peta when co-workers contacted Peta with the news that Kirby"s condition was growing worse and that his impending death was expected.
Kirby"s family invited Frare into the room to record the final moments of his life and their grief at his death. The family said that they hoped some good would come of the images Frare took of the final moments of their son"s life. When published by Life, the image shocked the national conscience in the United States with its graphic imagery.
While the public knew that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome killed, many only knew of its effects in the abstract.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome was still thought to be a "gay" disease and much of populace was relatively uninformed about the disease. Life received complaints about the graphic nature of image, but felt that it was in line with the magazine"s mission of telling a story of life and death through visual imagery.
Following the Life publication, the Kirby family allowed the clothing company United Colors of Benetton to use the image in a 1992 advertising campaign, feeling that its story would reach a worldwide audience. In 2012, Frare told Life that David"s father Bill Kirby expressed the family"s feelings on the use of the picture by Benetton when he told her "Listen, Therese.
Benetton didn’t use us, or exploit us.
We used them. Because of them, your photo was seen all over the world, and that’s exactly what David wanted.".
Other members of Kirby"s immediate family are seated next to him.