Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned

Judd Winick’s graphic memoir, published by Henry Holt and Co. in 2000, recounts his real-life friendship with Pedro Zamora, an HIV-positive AIDS activist he met while living on MTV’s The Real World. Through Winick’s own writing and art, the book traces their bond from the show’s production through Pedro’s death, blending personal grief with a clear-eyed look at the AIDS crisis. A single, two-issue story, it remains a poignant testament to the power of friendship and education in the face of loss.