Marcello Antony, 57, was moved when he revealed he was HIV positive when he adopted his son Francisco, 19, as a baby in 2003.
In an interview with the Papagaio Falante podcast, hosted by Sérgio Mallandro and Renato Rabelo, the actor opened up about the time the teenager was adopted.
“He was HIV positive. He tested negative on me. They told me he could die anytime so they asked if I wanted to stay with him. I said, ‘He can die now. He’s my son,” he said, who adopted the thenbaby with wife Mônica Torres, who split in 2010.
Just before the reveal, the actor opened up about how Francisco’s arrival changed his life. “Looking at Francisco changed my life. My psychologist at the time said it was like seeing him as a little reflection of myself that needed affection. My feeling was: ‘Where have you been all this time?’ “, he said.
The actor also said he didn’t say so publicly prior to the podcast chat. “I’ve never said that to anyone in my life. (…) I said: ‘This boy may die today or in 100 years, but he is my son. After he came to me, he had no more problems. . (…) Basically, love heals everything (…)” he said.
Marcello said Francisco grew up strong and healthy: “Today he is a healthy boy, strong, very loving. He teaches me a lot, I learn a lot from him and from my other children,” said the actor, touched. “Love healed him. That was a miracle that happened in his life,” Mallandro said.
Antony said he took Francisco home with him the first day he met him at an orphanage in southern Rio de Janeiro.
“I took him home, and he never left my life. (…) He was mestizo, he had many health problems, and nobody looked at him. He was always crying in his crib … In a month he was my son definitely”.
In addition to Francisco, the actor has also adopted Stephanie, 22. “After him came Stephanie, who I took when I was 5.5 years old. She took the adoption process 1.5 years because it was more complicated,” he recalled.
He is also the father of Lucas (22), Lui (17) and Lorenzo (11) from his second marriage to Carolina Antony.