From: Favorite Hunks & Other Things
I have not seen (as of this date) Jack Mackenroth on Project Runway yet, but I will be checking it out, especially now that his myspace pics have surfaced.
Jack Mackenroth (born April 29, 1969) is an American swimmer, model, and fashion designer who competed in the fourth season of American reality show Project Runway. Mackenroth was the first openly HIV-positive contestant in the show's history.
After a promising start including a win in a menswear competition, Mackenroth abruptly decided to withdraw from the show during episode 5 due to a serious MRSA staph infection completely unrelated to his HIV.
Mackenroth was solidly in the middle of the competition from the very start and never appeared in the "bottom three." The third challenge, however, allowed him to showcase his talent in developing menswear. The challenge was to create a three-piece menswear outfit for guest judge Tiki Barber. Mackenroth won the challenge and his winning design was then worn by Barber during an appearance on The Today Show.
At the fifth challenge, Mackenroth decided to withdraw after a contagious staph infection. After weighing the options and considering the risks that the infection would pose on himself as well as the rest of the cast and crew, he decided it would be best for everyone if he left. Even so, it was a very difficult decision to make. "I was crying for about four hours as I discussed it with Tim and production. It sucked!" After leaving the show, Mackenroth spent five days in the hospital recovering from the infection where he received an IV antibiotic twice daily
To keep the same level of competition, he was replaced on the show with Chris March, the last designer eliminated. While there was talk of Mackenroth returning for season 5, he opted to focus on his career instead of making a second appearance on reality television.
Mackenroth has been very open about his positive HIV status. Since his diagnosis on August 18, 1990, he has tried to combat the stigma of HIV by living honestly and being a role model through professional and athletic achievements.
"I am most proud of the fact that I was open about my positive HIV status on the show and exemplified that a person can manage HIV and live a successful life," Mackenroth says. "Every time a person with HIV is open about his or her status it helps everyone who is living with the disease.... I am a living testament to what you can accomplish by letting go of shame and being your own advocate." After his departure from the show, Mackenroth received many letters and e-mails thanking him for his openness and honesty and for being a great role model.
In 2008, Mackenroth partnered with Merck & Co., Inc. to launch a national HIV and AIDS education campaign called Living Positive By Design. The Living Positive By Design campaign seeks "to address the stigma still associated with the disease and [highlight] the importance for people living with HIV to have a positive outlook on life while effectively managing their disease." Living Positive By Design events have been held in Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the 2008 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), Atlanta, Georgia and in New York City at the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) Fashion Forward 2008 fundraiser.
For the launch event, Mackenroth designed a signature scarf, which symbolizes encouraging those living with HIV to maintain a positive outlook on life while managing their disease.
As a fitness and fashion model through the 1990s, Mackenroth appeared in such magazines as Paper, DNR, Men's Fitness, Men's Journal, Genre, Blue (Australia) and several others.
In 2008, Mackenroth also had a cameo appearance in the Sex and the City movie as "Hot Guy #17."
Mackenroth was a competitive swimmer in elementary and high school and continued competing after college at the Masters level. He has three All-American titles to his name and set a national record in the summer of 2006 in the breaststroke leg of the 4x50 meter medley relay. The same summer he finished 12th in the 50 meter breaststroke at the Masters World Championships in Stanford, California..
Mackenroth first competed in the Gay Games in 1990 in Vancouver, British Columbia, without a team but won a bronze medal in the 50-meter breaststroke. He has won at least one gold medal in every one of the international competitions since.
His mother watched his relay team set the national record at the 2006 Gay Games.
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