He is an average American man.

He graduated from a small high school in Iowa.

He served in the Navy.

Someday he would like to move to the West Coast, so he can see the beach the every day.

But for Tim Clark, living a normal life ended April 1, 1993. That was the day, at age 25, that Clark was diagnosed with HIV.

Clark contracted HIV while he was living in Florida. Clark and his partner went together for an anonymous HIV test. When the results didn’t come back in two weeks as planned, Clark was worried. After four weeks, Clark’s partner called and said his test results were positive.

“So when they told me, I kind of expected it,” Clark said.

After living in Florida for six years, Clark moved in with his mother in Colo, 20 miles east of Ames.

When he returned, there was no huge homecoming or welcome party. Instead he was faced with depression and discrimination from people in the community.

“Acceptance around here is very limited,” Clark said. “Here you just don’t talk about [it]. That’s the kind of stuff that gets crosses burned in your yard.”

Clark said when he worked at AT&T in Florida, the staff was supportive of HIV-infected employees.

“There was also other people I worked with that were infected,” he said. “In Florida everyone was very supportive and there were resources available.”

That kind of support is hard to find in rural Iowa, Clark said, where people prefer to whisper about you instead of talking to you.

“I hear people talking about it, so I tell them,” he said. “I feel there’s no reason to lie about it. But I don’t introduce myself by saying `Hi, I’m Tim and I’m HIV positive.'”

Clark said the misconception that AIDS is a homosexual disease is still believed by most Iowans.

“It’s not just gay,” he said. “It’s whites, blacks and little babies.”

Clark said he saw this type of stereotype while watching Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Alliance (LGBTAA) members handing out candy at Iowa State’s Homecoming parade. He saw a child pick up the candy and show it to his father, who told the child not to eat the candy.

Clark also said while walking past fraternity houses, he saw fraternity members eating the candy but refusing to touch the attached informational cards.

“I was so disappointed in Iowa State that day,” he said.

Clark believes this is an example of why discussion about AIDS needs to be more open.

“Educate, educate, educate,” he said. “People need to be more open and accepting. Eyes are opening up, but we still have a long way to go in Iowa.”

Clark said the state government needs to make AIDS awareness programs and education a top priority.

“We are moving fast in Iowa in economic development,” he said. “But we are still in the Dark Ages when it comes to social development.”

While Clark waits for the rest of Iowa to accept him, he said he will try to live a normal, healthy life.

Clark said he experiences no physical problems, so depression is the hardest part.

“The No. 1 problem is . mental,” he said. “You think about it every single day.”

Even in the short time Clark has been infected, he has seen medical advances happening.

“I went from taking 36 pills a day – now I take eight pills a day,” he said.

Clark said when he was taking 36 pills a day, he had an alarm to remind him when to take pills. Plus he always had to remember which pills he could take with food and which he couldn’t.

“It was a hell of a program,” he recalls as he takes a long sip of coffee.

So while Clark pays monthly bills of $1,000 for the daily pills, he waits for a cure for AIDS.

“An easily assessable cure that is not just for the wealthy, but for everyone,” he said.

Until then, Clark said he thinks more efforts need to be spent on education and help for HIV patients.

“It bothers me when I see fliers for people who died with AIDS,” he said. “Once they are dead, people want to help. What about the one[s] that need the help now?”

Clark offers practical advice. He said everyone should be tested once a year.

“You shouldn’t be afraid to get test done,” he said. “You just don’t know. All it takes is one person. And there is no turning back.”