Tina DiTomasso

World AIDS Day: Honoring the Lives That Shaped Us



Every year on December 1st, the world pauses to recognize World AIDS Day - a day devoted to remembrance, awareness, and continued action in the fight against HIV/AIDS. For millions of families, this day is more than a moment on the calendar. It’s a deeply personal reminder of the loved ones we’ve lost too soon.


For me, World AIDS Day carries a weight and a warmth of memory. I lost my mom to AIDS on December 28, 1995, a date etched permanently into my heart. Even after all these years, the emotions of that time are still alive - some soft, some sharp, all still somehow teaching me something new.


My mother was so much more than her illness. She was strength, laughter, softness, guidance, and love. The world often reduces people with AIDS to statistics or headlines, but those of us who have lived through it know the truth: behind every number is a person whose story deserves to be told.


World AIDS Day gives us a moment to honor those stories. To speak their names. To remember their impact. To continue loving them forward.


Since the mid-1990s, the era my mom lived through, the progress in treatment, prevention, and understanding of HIV/AIDS has been nothing short of remarkable. What was once a devastating and often fatal diagnosis is now, for many, a chronic and manageable condition.


But World AIDS Day reminds us that progress doesn’t mean the mission is over. Millions still live with HIV today, many without access to proper care, support, or education. Stigma still exists. Resources still fall short. Change is still needed.

World AIDS Day is not only about remembering those we lost. It’s also about creating a future where fewer families ever feel the pain of losing someone they love to this disease.


Awareness matters because:

- Stigma still prevents people from seeking care.
- Education saves lives.
- Compassion creates safer, healthier communities.
- Honoring the past helps guide the progress of tomorrow.


Losing a parent changes the shape of your entire world. Yet the love they gave us, the lessons they offered, and the memories they left behind become the quiet fuel that keeps us moving forward.


On World AIDS Day, I honor my mom by speaking about her openly - without shame, without stigma, without fear. Her story is part of mine, just as so many other families carry the legacies of loved ones lost.


If you’ve lost someone to AIDS, or if you’re supporting someone living with HIV today, please know you’re not alone. Your story matters. Your voice matters. And your loved one’s memory matters.


As we mark World AIDS Day, let’s remember those we lost, uplift those still fighting, and commit to a world where HIV is not only manageable, but fully erased.


For my mom, and for every mother, father, sister, brother, friend, and child taken too soon, today is for you.
Your light continues in the lives you touched.
Your story lives on in the people who carry your memory forward.
Your love endures, always.



#WorldAIDSDay #AIDSAwareness #EndHIV #HIVAIDSAwareness #RememberingLovedOnes #InMemoryOfMom #AIDSSupport #HIVPrevention #StopTheStigma #FightHIV #GlobalHealth #HealthEquity #HonoringHerMemory #RedRibbon #NeverForget #GoneButNotForgotten #BreakTheSilence #HopeAndHealing #SupportAndStrength #HIVEducation #LoveAndLoss #SpeakTheirName #CompassionInAction #TogetherWeFight #AwarenessMatters #CommunityStrength #HealingJourney #YouAreNotAlone #ShareTheirStory #EndTheEpidemic

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 1

Tina DiTomasso

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Tina DiTomasso

The earth has its music for those who will listen. #GeorgeSantayana #nature #naturephotography #nature_obsession #naturehippys_ #natureatitsbest

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Tina DiTomasso

Life is full of ups and downs, so you might as well enjoy the ride! #life #lifeisgood #lifeisbeautiful #lifeisajourney #lifeisadventure

3 months ago | [YT] | 0

Tina DiTomasso

✨ I just want to make things! ✨

At the heart of everything I do, it always comes back to creating. Whether it’s design, words, food, or ideas, there’s something magical about taking a thought and turning it into something real.

Making things doesn’t have to be perfect or polished-it’s about expression, connection, and joy. Sometimes it’s messy, sometimes it’s bold, but it’s always alive.

Here’s to all the makers, dreamers, and doers who feel the same way - let’s keep creating simply because we love it. 💡💖

#Creators #MakersGonnaMake #CreativeLife #JustCreate #DesignInspiration #madewithlove #makers #makersofinstagram #woodworking #woodworker

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Tina DiTomasso

My wife is mad at me because I apparently “ruined” her KitKat. 🤣🤣🤣

@nestle @hersheys @kitkat

#candy #chocolates #chocolate #kitkat #breakmeoffapiece

3 months ago | [YT] | 0

Tina DiTomasso

Today we celebrate the U.S. Coast Guard Birthday - Since 1790, the U.S. Coast Guard has kept the nation’s waterways safe, playing a critical role in national security. 234 years of courage, service, and unwavering dedication! 🇺🇸⚓️



To the brave men and women who guard our coasts, save lives, and protect our waters with honor and heart — thank you. Your sacrifices often go unseen, but your impact is felt every single day.



Here’s to our Coast Guard heroes and the legacy of service they uphold. 💙🌊



Learn more about the history of the United States Coast Guard:
tinaditomasso.com/history/guardians-of-the-coast/



#USCoastGuardBirthday #SemperParatus #ThankYouForYourService #AlwaysReady #USCoastGuard

4 months ago | [YT] | 0

Tina DiTomasso

🌍✨ Meet the Woman Who Made History ✨🌍 On this day, August 1, in 1980, Iceland elected Vigdís Finnbogadóttir—the first woman in the world to become a democratically elected head of state. But her story goes far beyond that groundbreaking moment.


📖 Read how a quiet, cultured single mother became a global icon of leadership and dignity. Her legacy still shapes the world today.


👉 tinaditomasso.com/vigdis-finnbogadottir/


#WomenInHistory #VigdisFinnbogadottir #Iceland #Leadership #Trailblazer

4 months ago | [YT] | 0

Tina DiTomasso

🎉 300 Subscribers — Thank You! 🎉

I just wanted to take a moment to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of you — we’ve officially hit 300 subscribers! 🙌✨

Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or just joined, your support, likes, comments, and shares mean the world to me. This channel wouldn’t be growing without you, and I’m so grateful for this amazing community we’re building together. 💬💕

Here’s to more content, more creativity, and more milestones ahead! Let me know in the comments what you’d love to see next 👇

Much love,
Tina💫

6 months ago | [YT] | 0

Tina DiTomasso

Wishing everyone a very Happy Holidays and a prosperus New Year! Taking a little workshop break, see you in 2025.

1 year ago | [YT] | 0