The former Who's the Boss? star recently stunned fans when he confessed he battled a crystal meth addiction in the past and was diagnosed with HIV in 2003.

He told Oprah Winfrey on an episode of Oprah: Where Are They Now? that he contracted the disease through unprotected sex while addicted to drugs.

Pintauro waited over 10 years to go public with his diagnosis because he was not ready to reveal his big secret to the world.

However, now he has come forward, Pintauro hopes he can speak candidly about his past risks in a bid to raise awareness.

"I don't want to be the hero, I don't want to the role model, I want to be the example," he said in an interview on U.S. talk show The View on Friday (02Oct15). "I want to be the example of what can happen if you get into drugs, if you're being promiscuous, if you're not taking care of yourself, if you're not being checked, if you're not living a healthy, responsible lifestyle."

The actor is now married to Will Tabares.