And I lost it. However, their separation only lasted two weeks. "It helped people who were living with not just HIV and AIDS, but with any disease, that you can live on, you can be live a productive life.". I thank God every day for you and for bringing you into my life! While Johnson can now attest to 30 years of life after being diagnosed with HIV, his journey living with the disease has been far from easy. It was so funny because every girl on campus wanted to meet him, Cookie recalls of their first encounter. Its certainly not the America that Magic Johnson came to embody during his heyday with the LA Lakers throughout the 80s. There they faced off against the Indiana State Sycamores. "And I didn't want people to treat us like we were lepers. Magic and Cookie had been married just over a month when Los Angeles Lakers team doctor Micahel Mellman delivered the devastating news in 1991. The Trump presidency made even more stark the entrenched legacy of racism and white supremacy all over the country, including in Michigan, where Johnsons parents still live. And she was dying at that time. Earvin "Magic" Johnson revealed to the world in 1991 that he was HIV positive and retiring from the Los Angeles Lakers. When Magic Johnson revealed his HIV diagnosis to his new wife, Cookie Johnson, in 1991, she didn't turn and run away. He stunned basketball fans and transformed HIV awareness by announcing his diagnosis in 1991. Fortunately, both his wife and their son, Earvin III, tested negative for HIV. We sit down and this guy says: Boy, what you want? he recalls. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. No. Lansing, like most large cities in the midwest, was de facto segregated. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Johnson and his wife, Cookie Johnson (Earlitha Kelly Johnson) have been married for 25 years and have been active philanthropists and have lived worked toward combating HIV in the years after Magics diagnosis announcement. Basketball legend Magic Johnson joins Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager ahead of the NBA All-Star game on Sunday. Cookie opened up to Oprah about how Magic broke off. Even one of his Olympic teammates, Karl Malone, expressed concern about having to play against Johnson after he got cut on the court during a game. Despite being diagnosed with such a life-threatening disease at the height of his career, he managed to survive and thrive as a businessman with the help and support of people like his wife Cookie. . "I just sat her down and began to tell her that I had HIV," he says. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". So, are they still in touch? In November 1991, Johnson retired from the Lakers after revealing that he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. went on to become a reality star of Es Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and his own spinoff show, EJNYC, which premiered this summer. High times as guard for Michigan State, Johnson cuts down the net after winning a championship game in Salt Lake City in 1979. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}10 Things You Might Not Know About Jimmy Butler, Nat Sweetwater Cliftons First NBA Season, The True Story of the Michael Jordan Film Air, Michael Jordans Two Requests for The Movie Air, What Sonny Vaccaro Did After Nike Air Jordan Deal, Get to Know NCAA Tournament Star Caitlin Clark. Are we where were supposed to be? The NBA star credits his wife for her unconditional support. Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been married for 31 years since 14th Sep 1991. view relationship. Initially, Cookie admittedly was not in favor of Magic holding the press conference announcing his HIV diagnosis due to the stigma surrounding the disease. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "The worst thing about it is I knew I was going to hurt her," he says. Professional rivalry and racial dynamics Larry Bird of Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson during the 1984 NBA Finals at the Forum in Los Angeles. Among them was the 1979 NBA Draft first overall pick, Irvin "Magic" Johnson. Johnson first learned of his diagnosis after a routine physical ahead of the 1991-92 NBA season. After years of unsuccessful dieting, EJ Johnson underwent gastric sleeve surgery when he was 22 years old. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. And that trumped everything.". You know, why is he in there so long?' How Magic Johnson Told His Wifeand Ex-LoversHe Had HIV However, she was upset when he told her he'd understand if she wanted. Johnson was born Earvin Johnson Jr. on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan. And it has interesting parallels for today, when the world continues to battle another public health crisis. Magic Johnson opens up on living with HIV 30 years after his diagnosis He had married his long-time girlfriend Cookie in September of that year and they were expecting a baby. On September 14, 1991, Magic Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly at the First AME Church in Los Angeles. As a result, Magic had a very active sexual life and admitted to having some 300 to 500 sexual encounters per year prior to contracting HIV in 1991. At the time of his diagnosis, Johnson thought the virus was a death sentence. The Success Of Magic Johnson - Highschool Cube His father would send his children in groups of three to use the bathroom at truck stops to watch each others backs. [Cookie and I] had a difficult conversation. We always went to the movies once a week, she said. Johnson's son Earvin III was born in 1992. Ebony magazine has tapped Magic & Cookie Johnson for the cover of their July issue, and the couple gave an exclusive interview covering an array of topics ranging from the recent drama surrounding Donald Sterling, to wealth building. Magic was one of the most prominent basketball players in NBA history. Theres no way hes going to pick me over all these other women.. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Johnson then teamed up with his old rival Bird to write the 2009 book When the Game Was Ours, which explores their rivalry, their experiences on the court and the sport they love. Elisa has mainly stayed away from the public and maintains a pleasant living. In 1991, the 13-season Los Angeles Lakers star married his wife, Cookie, who gave birth to their son EJ Johnson soon after. Magic and Cookie Johnson may have one of the longest-lasting relationships in Hollywood. When the Lakers would travel to Boston, Johnson recalls, some Black residents of the city would approach him and say they were backing the Lakers over their local team. Today, he remains one of the most famous people in the world living with the virus. As a boy, he practised basketball relentlessly, encouraged by his father, who worked grinding shifts at a local General Motors plant. Regardless of his marital status, we are rooting for his. Instead, they went to a steak house. Magic Johnson Surprised Cookie With A Private Concert By - Essence According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie Johnson's estimated worth is about $50 million. It was a seismic moment, not only in the history of basketball, but in the continuing war on HIV and Aids, as an athlete of Johnsons stature vowed in public to raise awareness about the virus. It was tough, because Cookie was afraid of what might happen, the backlash if we went public. It was sobering, says Johnson, to see Dr Fauci out front and centre again, during the Covid-19 pandemic. March 6, 2022 Todd Williamson/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images Magic and Cookie Johnson may have one of the longest-lasting relationships in Hollywood. "There wasn't a lot of knowledge back in 1991.". She has always been a woman of charitable interests. But, as he remembers the period shortly after the diagnosis, he thinks of those he relied on. Cookie serves on the organizations board of directors. Johnson met Cookie while she was working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. The Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson story is a testament to love, dedication, and commitment to bettering themselves and their community. "I told Cookie, I said, 'You know what? That hurt me." (@elisajohnson) on May 28, 2016 at 3:13pm PDT, EJ was a star on the reality TV show, Rich Kids of Beverly Hills.. The newlyweds had also just found out she was pregnant with their first child, E.J., now 24. They have inspired many people through their philanthropy works and entrepreneurship ventures that continue to thrive long after they left the NBA world. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . "And they say, 'Hey, we ran the tests a couple of times, and yes, you do have HIV.' And as time went on, it never changed.. [My mind] went to 'He is possibly going to die,'" Johnson told Roberts. It was referred to as "gay cancer" but that's because so little was understood about the disease. I dont know where they livemaybe under a rock. While Cookie thought their first date would be nonchalant, Magic took her to an actual steakhouse. Cameras flashed and reporters clamoured to ask questions, but Johnson, National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar and one of the worlds most revered athletes, appeared unfazed as he announced his immediate retirement. In her interview with Mocha Man Style, Cookie revealed how they maintain their spark. A post shared by Cookie Johnson (@thecookiej) on Feb 19, 2017 at 5:38pm PST. Todd Williamson/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images, receiving the diagnosis that he was HIV positive. Steps Out in Public With New Boyfriend, Earlitha Kelly (Magic Johnson'un ei) Doum Y.: Doum T.: Ei: Magic Johnson (e. 1991)https://t.co/Or205EQKf5 pic.twitter.com/gz5H4jKPJ2, XKimdir (@xkimdircom) February 19, 2017, Cookie has become involved in various ventures in her life, one of which is a clothing line called CJ by Cookie Johnson., Cookies products largely include jeans because, as she wrote in her About Me on 6pm.com, she despaired over hte lakc of premium denim for women with a figure like hers. Powered by. We started this in college. All rights reserved. Help us understand, you know, "Look Earvin, you're gonna have to take a lot of meds, but it's about your attitude, your mindset. The inspirational couple has been married for about 31 years but their relationship goes further back in time. She even released a book called "Believing in Magic" which. They calmed me down, because I was thinking I was going to die, he says. Lets just hope we get this one right, in the black and brown community, because we never really got HIV and Aids right.. She educated parents and caregivers on the importance of immunizing children in urban areas against various viruses. Ever since the day I laid eyes on you in 1978 I knew you were the one for me. He is bashful, however, when I ask about this and says only: Im happy Ive got a great life and that my kids are going to be fine.. Denim was always a huge passion of hers growing up so this is truly a dream come true. uring his 1991 press conference Johnson also made clear that his aspirations in business meant he simply had to go on living. Magic Johnson - Son, Stats & Wife - Biography "You just sit there and say, what does this mean? EJ is openly gay and Elisa was adopted in 1995. But we have this incredible relationship that when we see each other youd think wed been talking every day.. Then I said, 'Are you kidding me? A guy like myself swears by him, he says. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. There was one drug then, now we have 30-something drugs, he says. How has Magic Johnson survived with HIV? | Live Science As the Lansing protests unfolded last year Johnson found himself sending messages to his parents and siblings to make sure they were OK: To stay away and stay safe., I think what it did was make people quiet about who they were going to actually vote for, he says. Magic credits Elizabeth Glaser, who founded the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation after she contracted HIV through a blood transfusion, for bringing out the courage in him to become a public advocate for HIV awareness. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations. I've been in championships. ", "Yeah, you're just in disbelief and in shock," Johnson says. She designs a popular brand of jeans that sells throughout luxury department stores in the US called CJ. Magic Johnson's wife: Cookie Johnson - ClutchPoints At the centre was Johnson, the tallest point guard in NBA history (2.06 metres; 6ft 9ins), whose adaptability, court vision and creativity fundamentally transformed the position. She also successfully launched CJ by Cookie Johnson denim line catered towards women who desire fashionable clothing options available beyond size zero standards often seen within mainstream brands; empowering these same demographics financially through employment opportunities via production facilities located domestically provides economic growth potentiality serving could-be overlooked audiences. I just knew that this is what made him happy. The diagnosis was especially hard for Johnson. He believed he contracted the disease through unprotected sexual activity. In 1992, the Johnsons welcomed their first child, E.J. The couple opened up about the impact the diagnosis had on their relationship in an interview with CBS Mornings' Gayle King that aired Thursday. The couple has three children together: Andre, EJ, and Elisa. The couple has been married for 25 years and have three children together. Johnson went on to attack the HIV stigma with the same passion he displayed on the court, launching the Magic Johnson Foundation to raise awareness about the virus, then pushing Congress and the White House to spend money to fight the disease. Magic Johnson: the NBA superstar who smashed HIV stigma - The Guardian There was also a lot of fear and confusion regarding how the disease could be transmitted. It scared me to death, she said. Showtime Johnson on court for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Boston Celtics at The Forum, LA, in 1988. NBC April 15, 2022 at 12:04 AM Magic Johnson is glad he and wife Cookie got married when they did! The soul comes from her [Cookie]. He is also a published author. He established the Magic Johnson Foundation to support HIV/AIDS research efforts and awareness programs that same year. Its shocking how many people dont get it. Like her brother EJ, Elisa is interested in fashion, and launched her own sunglass line in 2021. Cookie stood by her husband's side all along, but she initially did not want him to hold the now-famous Nov. 7, 1991 news conference announcing his diagnosis and short-lived retirement because of the stigma surrounding AIDS. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. "It went from three times a day, now just once. The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team. Who is Magic Johnson's wife, Cookie Johnson? All you need to know! Johnson opens up about his 30-year marriage to wife Cookie, saying the couple has come a long way. According to Cookie, that was the moment she fell in love with him. The team also included such strong players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Norm Nixon. Theyve continued the tradition long into their marriage, making time for a date each Friday night. Ultimately, I just prayed to God and said, "God you revealed to me how you feel about this." The following year, he played an important role in taking the Spartans all the way to the NCAA Finals. How Magic Johnson Told His Wifeand Ex-LoversHe Had HIV. "It wasn't how he got it that was important to me. During an appearance on CBS Mornings, Magic. Johnson says he told her, "I can understand if you want to leave me because I'm now turning your life upside down," he says. They told me that the three-drug combination was going to save my life, and they were right.. Like a date, date. Tensions were also felt on the basketball court: Johnson recalls, in his 1992 autobiography, My Life, that some of his white teammates were initially reluctant to even pass him the ball. Magic Johnson dominated the court as one of professional basketball's best players for 13 years. On 7 November 1991, a press conference in Inglewood, California, brought America to a standstill. We, as Black people, had never really understood generational wealth and passing that wealth on, he says. Earvin "Magic" Johnson says telling his wife Cookie about his HIV diagnosis was the "toughest" thing he's ever had to do. Johnson had previously written two books about himself and the game, 1983's Magic and 1989's Magic's Touch. Today, sitting in his offices in California, in a brown executive chair, that famous, dimpled smile beaming down the camera over Zoom, Johnson finds it hard to fathom that this year marks three decades since his diagnosis. Johnson won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award for his efforts in leading the Lakers to a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, winning four of six games in the championship series. "It was hard because I loved her so much and I hated to hurt her," said the former NBA champion in a joint interview with his wife Cookie on CBS Mornings. reality series Rich Kids of Beverly Hills as well as his own spinoff EJNYC in the 2010s. How had he acquired the virus? Johnson formally returned to the Lakers in early 2017 as president of basketball operations. That's not the man I married,'" she recalls telling him. Cookie Johnsons Profession and Charitable Interests. After receiving the diagnosis that he was HIV positive, Magic announced in a press conference that he was leaving basketball in order to dedicate his life to "battl[ing] this deadly disease. The wedding ceremony was two months before Magic announced to the world that he was infected with. There was, of course, his wife, Cookie - the love of his life, whom he had met at college and had recently married. Magic Johnson - Wikipedia During a period when Magic and Cookie werent together, he dated a woman named Melissa Mitchell, with whom he had a son, Andre, in 1981. Magic Johnson's wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly, is a businesswoman and philanthropist. No matter where you turned, whether I was coached by one, whether they owned the team I played for, or the partnerships I was trying to create in business everywhere you turned, it was somebody white in charge.. The couple was overjoyed, but a call from the L.A. Laker's team doctor changed everything. He was called back home from a pre-season game in Utah, so that Lakers team physician Dr. Michael . Let's get on our knees and pray.' That real talk proved effective. ohnson grew up in the midwestern city of Lansing, the state capital of Michigan. Earlitha Cookie Kelly and Earvin Magic Johnson (Getty). I told you and my parents after three months of dating that you were going to be the one I was going to marry, Magic recalled in a 2019 Instagram post. Article Title: Magic Johnson Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/magic-johnson, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 19, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. It empowers our community now these kids dream that they can become not only a basketball player or a football player, but they can become a businessman. And it just wasn't his thing. Johnson says he was sitting in a hotel in Utah, getting ready for an exhibition game when he got the call. And I was very upset at the backlash 'cause I just played with a lot of the guys who didn't want me to come back," Johnson said. The couple recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and have raised three children together, Andre, E.J. He had all these ideas. Johnson and his wife, Cookie, also have a daughter named Elisa, whom they adopted in 1995. He had married his long-time girlfriend Cookie in September of that year and they were expecting a baby. Who is Magic Johnson dating? Magic Johnson girlfriend, wife He spent 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring due to contracting HIV in 1991. Its really sad. ", We know that religion says no and I did have a big problem with that and I prayed about it a lot, Cookie said. He and Cookie have been together throughout this time, and neither she nor their son, Earvin Johnson III, have HIV. But the toughest part of his diagnosis, he said, was to drive home and tell his wife. You couldn't hug people. "You're sitting there like, 'Man, how could this happen to me?' Magic Johnson got married on September 14, 1991, to Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly. ET on OWN. Even after he joined the NBA, Johnson remembers entering a Mississippi diner on a family trip and being approached by a white server. He was called back home from a pre-season game in Utah, so that Lakers team physician Dr. Michael Mellman could deliver the news in person. Ahead of HBOs new limited series Winning Time, which chronicles the rise of the Showtime Lakers in the 80s including Johnsons signing to the team, look back at his and Cookies relationship. The NBA star and businesswoman, who met in college, have been together on and off for over 40 years and share two children together. We do simple things. While promoting her memoir Believing In Magic in 2017, Cookie spoke to Mocha Man Style about the first time she met Magic. BASKETBALL legend, Magic Johnson has been married to his wife, Cookie, since 1991. Johnson and his team continued to be one of the NBA's top competitors throughout the rest of the 1980s. Today, Johnson runs point in the boardroom as CEO of his namesake company, an investment company focused on providing high-quality products and services to underserved communities. She grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, and moved to Detroit, Michigan at six years old. Magic returned for the 1992 Olympic gold medal winning Dream Team, as well as another season for the Los Angeles Lakers for the 1995-96 team. The trick shots, the no-look passing, the celebrity fans and the Playboy bunnies. In 1991, 32-year-old Magic Johnson was at the top of his game, about to start his 13th season in the NBA. Cookie wrote in her 2016 memoir, Believing in Magic about the night he revealed to her that he had been diagnosed with HIV. Relationship history. Cookie was instrumental in creating a program called BREATHE, which works to prevent asthma in young children. Back at home, the news tested the strength of their marriage. He finally retired for good that same year, leaving behind an impressive legacy. We go to the movies. Johnson at an international symposium on HIV and Aids in Tokyo in 1993. When Magic retired from the NBA, he became a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS prevention. In 1992, he wrote the educational guide What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS. He is less coy, though, when describing the reason he sought wealth, and was not content with the riches of his earnings as a player. So they thought you couldn't touch people, you couldn't hug people," she said. "I didn't know," Johnson says. In a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the couple said that they are still madly in love with each other and are soul mates. confirmed that the reality star had gone under the knife in August 2014 after hinting. His wife has also recently learned she was pregnant. It was nothing but a strong sense of trust and commitment that kept them from calling it quits on their relationship.
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