I was diagnosed with HIV just a year ago. I was not surprised. I always took care, but then on one occasion I didn’t protect myself. I became seriously ill and there seemed no hope I would live. My family was fully supportive. They were by my side, night and day.

I’m now under treatment, and people are amazed at my recovery. I do a lot of sports, I’m a spinning instructor, I work at three gyms.

I don’t pretend to be an example. All I want is to open people’s eyes because anyone can be in this situation.

I’m a very happy person, because if you have a good sense of humor, you can achieve lots of things. You transmit joy to other people and help them endure their problems.

I identify a lot with this thought: “Don’t fall asleep thinking that something is impossible to achieve, because you might be woken up by the noise made by someone who is achieving it.”

I always make jokes about my situation. HIV lives with me; I don’t live with it. I’m not going to let it defeat me. I laugh at it, I have fun, I have it, and I’m still here.