Hector Morales Mondragon Was Mark Patton's Partner & His Support amid HIV Battle

After starring in the 1980s horror classic "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge," Hector Morales Mondragon's husband experienced a nightmarish turn in his life, but through all the grief, he found the light.

Before Hector Morales Mondragon met Mark Patton, the latter had already made a name for himself, starring in the Robert Wiemer film "Anna to Infinite Power" and in the first two installments of the Wes Craven sequel "A Nightmare on Elm Street."

After rising to stardom in the 1980s, the actor’s career and health crashed. But that turned out to be a blessing in disguise because that was when he moved away from the US and found happiness and love outside its borders.

Hector Morales Mondragon's husband was diagnosed with HIV before they met

The "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2" star had a short run in Hollywood when he played a gay role in the 1980s. At the time, it was not so acceptable to be famous and gay. The conflict of interest between him and the producers, who wanted him to hide his sexuality, forced him to leave Hollywood and go into interior design — a field that accepted gays.

At the time, Mondragon's husband was in a more positive place, unaware of the life-changing discoveries about himself that were on the horizon. He was disabled by what he thought was a case of bronchitis, and after undergoing several tests, he was diagnosed with HIV, thrush, TB, and pneumonia.

He only became aware of his suffering immune system on his 40th birthday and was hospitalized three days later. He got treatment for TB, and the medication therein did not agree with the HIV medication. The actor revealed that he would have died if his friends had not intervened.

The Darkest Time in His Husband's Life Led to the Beginning of Their Beautiful Romance

After the dark discoveries Mondragon's husband made on his 40th birthday, he moved to Mexico to recover, away from all the attention. This move brought him closer to the man he fell in love with and eventually married. Mondragon and his spouse lived off their art gallery when the money from Hollywood dried up.

Patton continued to be socially active, posting a lot on social media to promote his interests, business, and legacy. In response to a comment from someone who believed his fame disqualified him from public sympathy, the ctor said he wanted to point out that actors, and himself in particular, did not earn much.

Mondragon was very private, and their relationship was an intimate affair that the actor calls the happiest chapter of his life. IMDb reveals that they married in 2004 and divorced in 2021; the American's appearances on an episode of "Hotel" starring the father of four, Josh Brolin; and "Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean," starring Cher, mother of two at the time.

Unfortunately, Hector Morales Mondragon's Husband's Condition is Deteriorating in 2023

Earlier this month, Mondragon's ex-husband contacted his agent Peter Valderrama to inform fans about an unfortunate setback on the road to recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. After his health deteriorated, the ex-husband of Mondragon canceled events at the Musicbox Theater and the Horror House Store.

At first, it appeared that he was dealing with the after-effects of a coronavirus infection. But over time, it became apparent that he was suffering from the symptoms of AIDS. Valderrama made this statement on behalf of the actor and called for donations from fans.

Valderrama opened a Gofundme account for fan contributions and set a target of $18,000 for medical care. At the time of this writing, more than double the required amount has already been raised. The statement confirmed that Mondragon's ex-husband would be transferred to another Mexican hospital to diminish language barriers.

The actor also mentioned that he lives from month to month and has had difficulty affording medical appointments since October 2022. The Mexican-American hospital he cited would cost him $300 a day.

After Valderrama's intervention, the actor shared a meaningful message on Instagram. The caption reflected a moment of self-reflection, with a portion addressing his earnings from movies since leaving Hollywood.

In response to a comment from someone who felt his fame disqualified him from public sympathy, Patton said he wanted to address the fact that actors, and himself in particular, do not earn much. He also stated that he made $2800 in his last performance before the recent setback.