Sean Sasser, Real World San Francisco star and AIDS activist, died of cancer earlier this week. Sasser had reportedly been battling mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer said to be linked to AIDS-caused weak immune systems.

Sasser appeared on MTV’s reality program in 1994 when he dated Real World San Francisco housemate Pedro Zamora, who was HIV positive. The two men are remembered as pioneers in the LGBTQ and HIV-positive communities (Sasser also revealed he was HIV positive on the show). They even had a commitment ceremony that aired on the season finale of Real World San Francisco, a groundbreaking event at the time. Zamora died from complications due to AIDS in November of 1994 at the age of 22. The full finale episode ‘Love Rules’ can be viewed online.

Judd Winkick, Zamora’s roommate on Real World and close friend to both Zamora and Sasser, tweeted a memorial to Sasser on Wednesday.

MTV also tweeted about Sasser’s death on Thursday.

Sasser recently moved to Washington and was a well known pastry chef at restaurant, RIS. His partner, Michael Kaplan, works as CEO and president of the nonprofit, AIDS United. Following Sasser's death, Kaplan wrote a moving tribute to his late husband on Facebook:

“With broken heart over the loss of my life mate – I share the news that Sean Franklin Sasser passed away early this evening, August 7, 2013. Having lived for 25 years with HIV, at the age of 44, Sean died after a short but difficult battle with Mesothelioma.

Sean was many things to many people – to me, he was the love of my life, my spouse, and all that is good. To others, he’s been a mentor, a foster parent, a pastry chef, an activist, an artist, a care taker, a family member, a best friend, and admired colleague, a tv personality and so much more. To each and every one of us, he was something special.”

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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