Rev. Dr. Stephen Pieters, the longtime HIV survivor and AIDS activist whose 1985 televised interview with Tammy Faye Bakker propelled him into the national spotlight, died on July 8, 2023, at the age of 70.  A friend of the Foundation for The AIDS Monument, Rev. Dr. Pieters served as Lead Facilitator for FAM’s inaugural STORIES Circle event on December 1, 2021.

At the event, Rev. Dr. Pieters told attendees who had gathered to share their stories about HIV and AIDS: “Capturing the stories shared in these STORIES Circles is one of the primary ways that FAM — the Foundation for The AIDS Monument –is making sure our individual and collective experiences during the AIDS pandemic are never forgotten.”

He was a longtime member of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, where he served on the Board of Directors for five years. Many also knew Rev. Dr. Pieters from his work as a trusted therapist at the Los Angeles LGBT Center.  He was a true member of the community, tireless in his advocacy and desire to connect people to a path leading to their best selves.

In 1982, Rev. Dr. Pieters was diagnosed with AIDS, and two years later, Kaposi sarcoma and Stage 4 lymphoma.  His doctors told him he was unlikely to survive the year, and he was battling these illnesses in 1984 when he agreed to be a guest on Tammy’s House Party, seen by millions of evangelical Christians via satellite throughout the southeastern U.S.

Almost 40 years later, Rev. Dr. Pieters was still alive and continuing his ministerial work when his appearance with Tammy Faye was re-created in the 2021 film The Eyes of Tammy Faye.  On the red carpet at the film’s premiere, Rev. Dr. Pieters and the film’s leading actress Jessica Chastain met for the first time.

“She spotted me and looked so surprised and delighted,” Rev. Dr. Pieters told POZ blogger Mark S. King. “She came over and pulled me into a tight hug that must have lasted for 20 seconds. All the time she was telling me, ‘You’re amazing. You’re extraordinary.’ I was stunned, and she told me a couple of times, ‘You and Tammy saved so many lives.’”

When invited to narrate a tribute to Rev. Dr. Pieters for STORIES: The AIDS Monument, Chastain happily accepted.  FAM also adapted Chastain’s audio story about Rev. Pieters into a reel for social media.

In the last several years of his life, Rev. Dr. Pieters was focused on writing his memoirs.  At FAM’s 2021 World AIDS Day event, he spoke enthusiastically about the possibility of his life story inspiring others to find hope and strength in the face of great challenges.  “I keep on dancing” was his mantra through it all.  His final manuscript received his publisher’s approval on the day he fell ill and was hospitalized for the last time.

Upon learning of Rev. Dr. Pieters’ passing in early July 2023, Chastain re-posted the story she recorded for The AIDS Monument, along with the statement:

“Steve Pieters was an inspiration and advocate for those living with HIV/AIDS for over 35 years. He was a constant reminder that God is LOVE. Rest In Peace sweet angel Steve. You made a difference in the lives of so many and you will be missed.”

GMCLA Executive Director Lou Spisto said, “There was no one like Steve Pieters. Our lives were made better by what Steve did with his time on earth. He lifted us all. He fought so hard and for so long, for his life and for all of ours, that this seems unreal. He will never be gone though, as his spirit will be with us always and his impact will live on.”

In April 2024, Rev. Dr. Pieters’ memoir Love Is Greater Than AIDS was published posthumously.  His work in AIDS ministry is part of the LGBT collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

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