Actress and model Cynthia O'Neal was living her dream
life--married to the famous stage and screen actor Patrick O'Neal,
the mother of two young sons, resident of The Dakota downstairs
from John Lennon, owner of the successful Ginger Man restaurant,
and friend to many brilliant musicians and performers. When the
AIDS epidemic hit the arts community hard, her life changed course
suddenly, surprisingly, and completely. Cynthia did not hesitate to
throw herself into the fray. With the support of longtime friend
Mike Nichols, she founded Friends in Deed and soon found herself
spending her days in hospitals, cramped rooms, and dirty
apartments: anywhere a patient needed a hug, a hand held, or
confidence boosted. And when Patrick became ill and passed away in
1994, Cynthia had to work through her own grief instead of someone
else's, and she found her life transformed again.
Talk Softly is the story of a life well-lived--with passion and
compassion, in celebration of the joy of each moment, endlessly
surprising.
Born in Los Angeles, Cynthia O'Neal modeled and appeared in
films, including Carnal Knowledge and Primary Colors. In 1991, she
founded Friends in Deed--The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening
Illness--to provide emotional and spiritual support for anyone
diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening
physical illnesses, where all services are free of charge. Friends
in Deed also runs an HIV prevention program for teens in New York
City public schools, having reached over one hundred thousand
at-risk students since the program began. O'Neal currently lives in
New York City.
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