jerry's bio

Jerry was diagnosed with HIV in 2004. Deciding not to let the disease keep him from living, he chose to reach out to others
and founded the Hughes Foundation that same year.

Born to a single mother at the age of 16 in rural Iowa, Jerry
was faced with many challenges. He tried to fill a life-long void
of affirmation and love for himself by trying to buy love with credit cards during his four years at Northwestern College, which ultimately left him with nearly $150,000 USD in debt and a broken heart. Trying to continue to fill this void, he then turned to the streets by becoming a male escort to fill the void and to try and pay off debt. Those choices ultimately left him feeling more unloved and broken. Ultimately he was left bankrupt and HIV+. However, through his diagnosis, Jerry found a renewed strength and faith, which gave him the courage to step out and share his story so that others might find the same strength and hope.

In addition, Jerry has held over 10 years in the corporate world. Some of his corporate leadership roles included three years
at American Express and over nine years in Marketing and Advertising where he managed many fashion, TV and retail accounts. Jerry’s corporate leadership, in addition to his non profit leadership, make him a very well rounded leader and visionary for the expansion of the Hughes Foundation globally.

He has shared his life-changing story of hope and overcoming
to millions of people worldwide. Jerry gives everyone the power
to turn their mess into a message. For every child suffering
from AIDS; wife who lost her husband; youth who has been abandoned by his family for being HIV+; Jerry seeks out to empower, equip and raise these individuals up through love to
be all the person they can be. Jerry strives to break down the walls of ignorance, discrimination and suffering to the nearly
40 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. He admits, his
story is quite simple but it is the power of his unconditional
love that changes people from the inside out.