Here are the stories of 16 famous celebrities who have contracted the disease – some of whom have lost their lives because of it, while others are still dealing with it in the public eye. HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome doesn’t discriminate. Over 1.2 million people are suffering from HIV or AIDS, in the United Sates alone. Even high-profile celebrities, who have access to wealth and better health care, are not immune to HIV. After more than 30 years since HIV was first discovered, it’s still the scary disease that shakes the general public to the core.