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"The secrets came out during Thursday night&amp;apos;s episode of Project Runway.\r\nChief among them: for the first time ever, contestant Mondo Guerra publicly acknowledged that he is HIV positive.\r\nPHOTOS: New York Fashion Week highlights\r\nThe shocking announcement came after the aspiring designers were asked to create a textile pattern based on their own personal stories.\r\nGuerra, 32, created a graphic pattern incorporating positive signs to represent his HIV positive status. Shortly after, the contestants&amp;apos; family members -- including Guerra&amp;apos;s mother -- made a surprise visit to Parsons School of Design in NYC.\r\n\r\n&amp;quot;I haven&amp;apos;t disclosed this information with my mother: I&amp;apos;ve been HIV positive for 10 years,&amp;quot; Guerra, 32, said in the confessional. He then decided not to open up to her until later because &amp;quot;it was her first time in New York and I just didn&amp;apos;t want to bring her any pain.&amp;quot;\r\nSo why did Guerra keep the news of his illness to himself for so long?\r\n&amp;quot;Growing up in a religious, Catholic family, it would be an issue of morals and disrespect,&amp;quot; Guerra explained. &amp;quot;This has been so hard to keep a secret from my parents because I love them.&amp;quot;\r\n\r\nAfter the contestants showcased their designs on the runway, Marie Claire&amp;apos;s Nina Garcia inquired about the thought process behind Guerra&amp;apos;s pattern. Though he initially dodged the question, he came clean before the judges made their final decision.\r\n\r\n&amp;quot;That&amp;apos;s very brave of you,&amp;quot; said host Heidi Klum, shortly before announcing Guerra as the challenge winner.\r\nNow that his secret is out, Guerra says he can finally breathe a sigh of relief.\r\n&amp;quot;I feel better now. I feel free,&amp;quot; he said. &amp;quot;I think it was my opportunity to share something and maybe help others.&amp;quot;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-body/news/project-runway-star-reveals-hes-hiv-positive-2010110>