HIV/AIDS LONG-TERM SURVIVOR * YOUTH EDUCATION * ADVOCACY * ACTIVISM * RESOURCES
Houston, Texas - United States
www.onetoughpirate.com - never surrender! Never FORGET!
Bob Bowers aka One Tough Pirate is a 43-year long-term survivor of HIV/AIDS
LIVE TO TELL THE TALE!
25 Years of One Tough Pirate: A Journey of Hope, Advocacy, and Survival
Twenty-five years ago, One Tough Pirate set sail with a simple mission: to educate, advocate, and share the raw, unfiltered truth about living with HIV/AIDS. At the time, I had already spent 17 years fighting this virus—now, as I stand here in my 43rd year with HIV, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey this website has taken.
What started as a personal outlet became a beacon of hope for so many. It became a space to honor those we’ve lost, to fight stigma with truth, and to remind the world that HIV is not just a statistic—it’s real lives, real struggles, and real resilience. Over the years, I’ve shared my triumphs and my darkest moments, not because it was easy, but because it mattered. Because people needed to hear it.
I never imagined One Tough Pirate would reach so many, but here we are—25 years later, still fighting, still educating, still proving that hope and determination can outlast even the toughest storms. To everyone who has followed, supported, or found strength in these pages—thank you. You’ve been a part of this journey, and I am beyond grateful.
For 25 years, One Tough Pirate has been a voice in the fight against HIV/AIDS—born from my own 43-year journey of survival.
With gratitude,
Bob Bowers
Because Aging Ain’t the End—It’s Just a New Kind of Fight
This is for the ones who keep going.
Whether you're fighting a disease, a heartbreak, an addiction, a past you don't talk about, or a future that scares you—
You’re surviving. And that matters.
No one tells you how lonely the path can feel.
How loud the doubts can get.
Or how quiet the victories sometimes are.
But you’re still here. And that’s not nothing.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You just need to keep showing up—with whatever strength you’ve got today.
~ Bob Bowers
Studies show that a person living with HIV has a similar life expectancy to an HIV-negative person – providing they are diagnosed in good time, have good access to medical care, and are able to adhere to their HIV treatment.
THE FIRE WITHIN DOCUMENTARY - HIV/aids survivor bob bowers
I was up late last night and I watched your special (The Fire Within) with you and your wife, she was doing the road bike through California. I think you two are amazing people, I wanted to thank you for helping me. To look at my life completely differently. then the poor me I got sick. I don't have HIV but I have enough other shit I just cried watching you throw up and throw up from medicine and your attitude amazed me. I take more pills than any normal person could stand. and I decided to live more like you I can win this fight for life. Bob you should do more specials and if there are more out there, please direct them to me. Write a book too, you might already have one I think you impact people more than you realize. thank you, God be with you. You are in my prayers forever.
Malinda
If you think life is tough, you have not seen this film. Give yourself a reality check and find out what daily life is like for someone who has HIV. Bob's story is inspiring, I have seen the movie 3 times now and every time I watch it, I am amazed at his strength and courage. Bob shares every part of his life in this movie and despite all the pain, he manages to live life to its fullest and continues to give back by speaking at schools and teaching people what they need to know about HIV. You can't help loving Bob by the end of this movie, he is truly a hero!
As reviewed on NetFlix.com
As a six time AIDS Rider and Crew, nothing struck this personal beyond the ride experience…Bob
captured that, shared his pain and anguish and all I could do is go in a corner and cry and reminisce. He brought me to a place that I didn’t want to go again, challenged my sense
of worth and made me want to do this all over again. He made me reach out to other Brothers
and Sisters, daring them to ride again...The DVD takes you through some tense moments but
you have to endure those valley experiences to appreciate the mountaintop. While he pumped
his body and pushed his limits, we were there with him, cheering, crying and aching along those
routes. A true inspiration…To Bob—I salute you. Your soon to be “Black Soul” Brother in
the cause of this mission.
~ Mike McKinney
News Anchor-NBC 15
Madison, Wisconsin
COMPASSION IS OUR CURE!
“Bob Bowers is a passionate activist and educator. As someone who has lived with AIDS for over 40 years, Bob is not just a survivor. He works passionately to fight complacency and improve the lives of those around him. His commitment to teaching young people about the importance of healthy choices in their lives, and his advocacy of quality health-care for those living with AIDS, are just two examples of his numerous good works.”
~ United States Senator Tammy Baldwin
don't surrender before the miracle
62 Years of Living
62 years. 22,630 days (and counting). Some were heavy, some were light. Some were barely survivable. But all of them have shaped me into who I am today.
At 21, I was told I wouldn't make it to 25. It's hard to believe that now, knowing I’m 62. But here I am, still here, still living with purpose, still learning, still fighting.
In these 62 years, I’ve lost loved ones, I've battled demons, and I’ve danced with joy in moments I never thought I’d get to see. Through it all, I’ve held onto a simple truth: God wasn’t done with me. And I’m still not done.
I am humbly grateful for every day. For every breath, every step, and every challenge that brought me closer to who I am now. I’ve lived a full life, and I’m still writing the next chapters.
Here’s to life. And to all the incredible people who’ve walked alongside me, seen the best and worst of me, and reminded me why I should never stop fighting.
Bob Bowers
Youth Need the truth
Not every moment happens on a big stage. Some of the most powerful ones happen in classrooms, where tomorrow’s leaders are finding their voice. I dropped in on these Madison students working on their ‘What If It Were You?’ HIV/AIDS awareness posters — their passion and creativity reminded me exactly why I keep showing up. Being a youth HIV/AIDS educator for decades has given me immense joy and gratitude.
~ Bob Bowers
Bob is one of the best speakers I have ever heard in my life. I really enjoyed learning about his experiences. I never realized how many people in the world are suffering from HIV.
~ Scott S.
Bob Bowers' presentation was one of the best I've ever heard. He didn't just give us boring facts and not really care what he was talking about. He was very excited to teach us about AIDS and made it fun to learn about and didn't make it weird like many people do when they talk about such things. I think it's amazing the way he lives his life. He doesn't let it get him down and feel sorry for himself. He still has fun with his life.
~ Matt S.
What defines an HIV/aids long-term survivor
What truly defines a long-term survivor goes far deeper than dates or diagnoses. It’s the tenacity to keep waking up when your body feels like it’s quitting. It’s the courage to love and be loved after profound loss. It’s the commitment to stay informed, to fight stigma, and to advocate for others—especially when your own strength is running low. It’s the resilience to hold your ground in a world that once wrote you off.
Long-term survivors aren’t just people who lived through HIV—they’re people who refused to disappear. Who found ways to carry grief, to celebrate life, to demand justice, to build community, and to keep the conversation going even when the world wanted to look away.
~ Bob
NEWS AND MEDIA
When I first met Bob a little more than a year ago. I was amazed at how mentally strong he was. Bob was the first person I had ever met, that I knew of, that was HIV positive. His attitude on life really made me think twice about little things that I used to dwell on daily.
His passion and commitment to educating others comes across in his website. Bob knows first-hand the facts about the disease. He has dedicated a lot of time and effort to hopefully changing someone else's life for the better through his website.
Through my job I used to only refer to Bob as that guy I did a story on about his life and his fight against HIV. Now a year later, I can call him my friend.
~Mitch Weber - ABC's Channel 27 News
52 years of riding motorcycles
I’ve been riding motorcycles most of my life — 50+ years.
Hondas. Harleys. And now, my beloved Can-Am Spyder (named Phoenix). For me, it’s all about wind therapy.
what if it were you?
When I first conceived the What If It Were You? campaign, I knew it had to cut through the indifference that so often surrounds HIV/AIDS. I wanted people to truly feel the weight of what so many of us face every day. The name itself asks a question that’s impossible to ignore: What if it were you? What if the person struggling to access treatment, to navigate stigma, or to find acceptance was your partner, your child, your parent—or even yourself?
This wasn’t just a campaign to me; it was a deeply personal mission. It grew out of my own experience living with HIV/AIDS for over four decades. I’ve seen the fear in people’s eyes when they learn of my diagnosis. I’ve felt the sting of judgment and rejection. But I’ve also experienced incredible acts of love, support, and understanding—often from those who first needed to be shown the humanity behind the statistics.
What If It Were You? wasn’t created for pity; it was created for connection. I wanted to bridge the gap between “us” and “them,” to remind people that there is no “them”—there’s only us. Through powerful visuals and messages, the campaign challenged stereotypes and built empathy. It encouraged people to reflect on their own biases and recognize the shared humanity that unites us all.
Years later, the message still resonates. Each poster, each story shared, each conversation sparked is part of a greater legacy—a legacy that says no one deserves to be forgotten, ignored, or dismissed. What If It Were You? is more than a question; it’s a call to action, a reminder, and a challenge to the world to do better.
~ Bob Bowers
bob bowers on the September cover of pozplanet magazine
From Bob's interview:
...I’m a 43-year long-term survivor of HIV/AIDS—infected at 19 and diagnosed at 22, back in the early days when all you were given was stigma and a death sentence. Somehow, I’m still here. It's surreal as hell, and I give all praise and thanks to God and the gay community. God and my queer friends were all I had from 1984 on, when doctors told me I had either Hodgkin’s Disease or “this thing called AIDS” and to prepare for the worst. That diagnosis became ARC (AIDS-Related Complex) in 1985, and an AIDS diagnosis in 1986.
But I’m not just surviving—I continue living with passion and purpose. I’ve spent decades speaking truth, educating youth, fighting the “shit-stem,” and showing people—especially the next generation—that HIV doesn’t discriminate, and hope is always louder than fear.
Mr. Bowers has been an HIV/AIDS educator/activist/advocate for over 3 decades.
♫ Never forget ♫ by one tough pirate for world aids day 2025
Never surrender! Never forget!
I don’t chase comfort — I chase the fight.
I’ve been knocked down more times than I can count, but I keep getting back up — one steady step at a time.
Just showing up in the body I fought for, in the life God handed me, carrying the scars that tried their best to end me.
Some days I look in the mirror and think,
“Damn… that dude’s still standing?”
But here I am at 62 — creating my own music to tell my story the way it deserves to be told, still moving, still choosing life, still grateful for every breath.
This fight was never about perfection.
It’s about refusing to quit.
It’s about faith.
It’s about hope.
It’s about rising again and again, no matter what tried to break you.
Never surrender. Fight on.
🏴☠️🔥👊
43-year LONG-TERM HIV/AIDs SURVIVOR
43-year LONG-TERM HIV/AIDs SURVIVOR
43-year LONG-TERM HIV/AIDs SURVIVOR
PERSEVERANCE !
Bob Bowers was by far one of the most amazing speakers I have ever heard in my life. No words can describe the respect I have for him, and how much I look up to him. My sister went to Africa and worked in an orphanage. When she arrived back home again, and I heard her stories of interacting with kids who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, I wanted to go back or do something to help so badly. Now that I have heard Mr. Bowers speak, and heard his stories, that urge is even worse. I want to do as much as I can to help. I can guarantee that I will go home tonight after school and the first thing I will do is visit his website and find out what I can do to help. It amazes me how high his spirits are in times like these and his perseverance and his hopefulness. I especially like how he is willing to share his story with people like me and inform us so that we become aware. I learned many things from Bob.
~Jennifer B.
SURVIVING and thriving with hiv
43-year LONG-TERM HIV/AIDs SURVIVOR
43-year LONG-TERM HIV/AIDs SURVIVOR
Annoy Them...Survive!
"My personal ambition is to inspire and motivate everyone to be victorious in life's challenges. In this process I educate about the cause of HIV/AIDS, the consequences of having it, and how I have survived for 43 years."
~ Bob Bowers
never ever surrender
43-year LONG-TERM HIV/AIDs SURVIVOR
never ever surrender
Live to tell the tale!
Dear, Bob Bowers.
I just want you to know that i am not affected by HIV/AIDS and don't know anyone who is. But this website is the most amazing one i have ever seen. What you do is just incredible...so keep on living and doing what you do. Inspire as many as you can...so they can carry on your legacy. Your family should be so proud of you.
~ Adria
Straight Men with HIV/AIDS Are Here
— And Always Have Been
HIV/AIDS doesn’t care who you are — it cares what you do.
While many still wrongly assume HIV only affects the LGBTQ+ community, the truth is that heterosexual men have always been a part of this fight. From the 1980s to today, straight men have been living with, advocating through, and surviving HIV. We’re not statistics. We’re fathers, husbands, veterans, teachers, athletes, and advocates. And we're not silent anymore.
Straight men living with HIV/AIDS are seen here.
HOPE LIVES!
Never surrender! Never forget!
Bob Bowers is a youth HIV/AIDS educator, advocate, activist, and a 43-year long-term survivor of HIV/AIDS
Welcome to my personal website! I'd like to extend my sincere and heartfelt thanks for your compassion, love, and support. I sincerely hope that you enjoy your time spent here. This site pays homage to hope, survival and to the over 40 million of our courageous brothers and sisters that were taken from us far too early in life. I truly believe that where there is a will, there is a way. I have survived living with HIV/AIDS for over four decades, and I have dedicated my life to educating and empowering youth and others about this dreadful scourge. I am blessed and grateful to be alive. I despise the stigma that continues to drive this disease. Through my advocacy and activism, I work diligently to address the core issues of poverty, racism, homophobia, women's rights, domestic violence, homelessness, addiction etc. Regardless of HIV/AIDS, it is vital that we not turn on backs on those who need our love and support. In 2006 I created our youth AIDS awareness poster contest, to pose the simple and profound question, "What if it Were You?" I fight equally to be a voice of hope, knowing that we all have obstacles to overcome. I've come to realize that good, bad or ugly, life is truly a blessing. Throughout these many years of being a long-term survivor, an activist, and through my advocacy as a youth educator, I have had the privilege and honor to speak to countless thousands of students, and adults alike, about life, and living life with this virus - neither of which are easy. Without a doubt, education and awareness remain vital in helping to stop the spread of HIV. I hope that through my speaking, or in my day-to-day interactions, that I've helped empower others to live life to the fullest, as you have helped me! I give endless thanks and praise to you, my family, friends, and those individuals who have blessed my voyage to this point in life. I say without a doubt, "I did not get here alone!" Your involvement in my life and/or words of love and encouragement are forever embedded in my heart, soul, mission, and on the many pages throughout this website! Once again, welcome. Compassion is our cure!
Namaste,
Bob Bowers
Aka - One Tough Pirate
the true tale of one tough pirate
The True Tale of One Tough Pirate is blood, battle, and backbone. 43 years with HIV, and Bob Bowers is still standing—scarred, sacred, and louder than ever. From the ICU to the stage, from the streets to the steps of a church, he’s carried this fight across every mile with his fists up and his faith locked in. This story isn’t whispered—it storms the gates.
Every chapter hits like a heartbeat you thought you lost. Survival wasn’t the end. It was the ignition. This is inked truth, soaked in spirit, driven by the ones he’s lost—and the fire he refuses to let die. The ride’s already in motion. And it’s coming straight for your soul.
Volume 1 is near!
Volume 1 Teaser – Scroll 1: Bare My Soul
I’ve worn shame like a second skin, but I’m still here.
I’ve held my own hand in the dark.
I’ve screamed into silence and danced with the dead.
I don’t flinch from truth anymore.
I bear it. Ink it. Bleed it. Speak it.
Every mile of this ride carries someone I’ve lost—and the fire I refuse to bury.
So if you’re looking for a hero, look somewhere else.
But if you want the truth from a man who’s lived, lost, and keeps showing up?
Crack this book.
And prepare to feel every damn word.
––Bob Bowers, One Tough Pirate
Exercising while living with hiv/AIDS
Movement is medicine!
I’m 62.
I’ve survived two pandemics.
Yesterday, I walked into the gym, did three pull-ups, and smiled like I’d just won a world title.
Because I did.
When you’ve had the Reaper in your rearview for your entire adult life, every breath and every rep is a damn trophy.
Read: Fire, Faith & Movement - Exercise While Living with HIV/AIDS
Move it or lose it!
In 2021, I was 260 pounds, barely mobile, and barely holding on. My health was in freefall, and my reflection in the mirror looked like a ghost of who I once was. I honestly thought, “Maybe this is just what it looks like in your late 50s with HIV, heart disease, and decades of wear and tear.” After all, my dad died at 59. I was genuinely 'prepared' and had even saved some of my stimulus money for my cremation. But something inside me still had fight. So, with help—my staff, my service dog, and a whole lot of prayer—I got up. Again.
A Prayer of Hope, Strength, and Compassion
Faith and HIV/AIDS - Coming soon!
Dear God,
I pray as I write this that You may guide others to find the light within themselves—the same light that keeps me strong and full of faith. Faith that I will live many more wonderful years with my wife and family.
Please grant each of us the strength and tenacity to face whatever pain and sorrow life may bring. May we suffer no more and, when our time comes, may we pass with dignity.
In the meantime, may we live with just as much dignity.
Amen.
~ Bob Bowers
Faith while living with HIV/AIDS - Long-term survivor Bob Bowers
until there's a cure®
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When you wear it, you stand for compassion over judgment, understanding over stigma, and education over fear. You stand with those of us fighting not just for ourselves, but for a future free from HIV/AIDS.
Order your Bracelet. Wear it proudly. Help us raise awareness, spark conversations, fight stigma, and fund the fight — UNTIL the battle is won.
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Honoring lives lost to HIV/AiDS
Honoring the Ones Who Came Before Us
Every breath we take, every mile we ride, every story we tell — it’s all borrowed time from those who didn’t get the chance to see today. Our brothers and sisters who lost their battles to HIV/AIDS carried the torch through the darkest years so that we could stand here in the light. The best way to honor them isn’t through silence or sorrow — it’s through action, compassion, and living our truth out loud.
We owe it to them to use our second chance well — to love fiercely, educate honestly, and keep the fight alive for those still struggling. This isn’t just remembrance; it’s responsibility. As long as we breathe, we carry their names forward.
Never surrender. Never forget.
Honoring lives lost to HIV/AIDS -- Never ever forget!
NEVER SURRENDER! never forget!
"For years, people told me to stop getting them, warning me that I’d never be invited into “polite society.” My mom, who was Jewish, told me as a kid that if I got tattooed, I couldn’t be buried in a Jewish cemetery."
"Long-Term Survivors are defined as having a HIV/AIDS diagnosis before 1996. They share those earliest and darkest years of the epidemic when there were no effective treatments. Effective treatments were available in 1995-96. Protease inhibitors transformed HIV infection from a “death sentence” to a more chronic but manageable condition."
" Gritty, raw and very real, The Fire Within is a compelling feature-length documentary chronicling a year in the life of long-term AIDS survivor Bob Bowers. "