Ronald Dickson Woodroof (February 3, 1950 – September 12, 1992) was an American who started the Dallas Buyers Club in March 1988. This was one of several AIDS buyers’ clubs that appeared during that period. After he learned he had HIV in 1985 and was diagnosed with AIDS, he formed the group to help find and share drugs to treat AIDS when the disease was not well understood.
He took legal action against the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because they banned peptide T, a drug he was using. Woodroof’s last years inspired the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club, where Matthew McConaughey played him.
Profile Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ron Woodroof |
| Birth Name | Ronald Dickson Woodroof |
| Date of Birth | February 3, 1950 |
| Place of Birth | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Date of Death | September 12, 1992 (aged 42) |
| Place of Death | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Spouses | Mary Etta Pybus (m. 1969; div. 1972); Rory S. Flynn (m. 1972; div. 1973); Brenda Shari Robin (m. 1982; div. 1986) |
| Children | 1 |
Age
Ronald Dickson Woodroof was born on February 3, 1950, in Dallas, Texas.
Biography
Woodroof was born in Dallas, Texas, on February 3, 1950. His parents were Garland Odell Woodroof, born in Texas, and Willie Mae Hughes, born in Oklahoma.
He first married Mary Etta Pybus on June 28, 1969, in Dallas, and they had a daughter before divorcing on March 23, 1972. He married Rory S. Flynn in Dallas on May 6, 1972, but they divorced on May 21, 1973. Later, he married Brenda Shari Robin on October 4, 1982, in Lubbock. They divorced on March 4, 1986, after his HIV diagnosis.
Woodroof was known for having a changeable personality. One reporter wrote, “Woodroof took guns to his doctor’s office, prompting Steven Pounders to ‘fire him as a patient.’” Later, Woodroof sent the doctor roses, and the doctor accepted him back. After people learned he was HIV-positive, Woodroof reportedly lost all his friends. The film Dallas Buyers Club shows him as having homophobic views before his diagnosis, but others who knew him said he did not hold anti-gay beliefs and was openly bisexual. He was also a member of the Dallas Gay Alliance.
Dallas Buyers Club
After experiencing side effects from AZT, Ron Woodroof started searching for other drugs that might help him live longer. He obtained nutritional supplements and drugs that were not approved by the FDA in the United States, which he believed eased his symptoms. In 1988, Woodroof set up the Dallas Buyers Club to distribute these drugs and other substances to AIDS patients.
Death
When Woodroof learned he had HIV, doctors gave him only 30 days to live. He survived for seven more years before dying on September 12, 1992, from pneumonia caused by AIDS. He is buried in Restland Memorial Park.
Woodroof’s life inspired the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club. Matthew McConaughey played Woodroof in the film and won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.
