Martin Sheen Speaks Out About Charlie Sheen's HIV Diagnosis

Martin Sheen has reportedly spoken out in support of his son Charlie Sheen‘s reveal that he has HIV.

“He had been leading up to this sort of story for several months, and we kept encouraging him to do it,” the 75-year-old actor said while on stage at the CME Group’s Global Financial Leadership Conference, according to E! News. “He kept backing away and backing away because it was like going to his own execution, I guess. It was the most difficult thing he’d ever done. And he kind of sealed it when he called Matt Lauer last week and asked if he could go on.”

“This morning, as I watched him alone, reveal his deepest, darkest secret, I couldn’t believe the level of courage I was witnessing, and that it was my son. I left him a message, and I said that if I had that much courage, I would change the world,” Martin continued.

Click inside to read the rest of what he had to say…

“As a father, I dare say that if I were to ask, just a general question in this room, how many of you have children or spouses or nieces, nephews, uncles, clients, who are dealing with drugs or alcohol. I dare say that there isn’t a person in here that wouldn’t raise their hand.”

“When someone comes to themself, they have the moment of clarity, and they reveal their secrets�”which all of us have�”in public, it is a great sense of relief. It is a miraculous occasion.”

“I just want to encourage all of you that have children, spouses, aunts, uncles, clients, that are involved in any form of addiction to realize that it’s a disease and if it they had cancer, you wouldn’t think of them any differently. But most importantly, people, and I speak from my own personal experience, most people who become addicted are looking for a transcendent experience. They are looking for one, the other, God, whatever it is, and naturally they shortcut the journey because, the apparition. I hope that this day is the first day of the rest of Charlie’s life as a free man.”