I know when I come here [home], I'm not Magic. Johnson had previously written two books about himself and the game, 1983's Magic and 1989's Magic's Touch. Magic Johnson has been living with HIV for nearly 0 years and thanks to advances in medical science the disease is now more manageable than it was when he first revealed his diagnosis. When EJ was on the show, Magic told TMZ that he was very happy for his son to be featured. Who is Magic Johnsons Wife, Earletha Cookie Johnson? We had a great time. EJ has become quite popular himself over the years and has appeared on several TV shows including his reality show Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. In 1991, 32-year-old Magic Johnson was at the top of his game, about to start his 13th season in the NBA. Today, he remains one of the most famous people in the world living with the virus. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". Magic's HIV is currently undetectable, though the former basketball star must still take a "cocktail once a day" of medications to help keep it under control. In the year 1991. It was partly realising the publics general ignorance about the virus that spurred him into a career of advocacy work. After years of unsuccessful dieting, EJ Johnson underwent gastric sleeve surgery when he was 22 years old. Like Magic, Cookie attended and graduated from Michigan State University. I've been in championships. In the above clip from "Oprah's Next Chapter," Johnson remembers that fateful day. Johnson and his wife, Cookie, also have a daughter named Elisa, whom they adopted in 1995. Johnson opens up about his 30-year marriage to wife Cookie, saying the couple has come a long way. And while his HIV is still undetectable, he must take his medication everyday. Cookie also has authored a best-selling book about her and Magic Johnsons life named Believing in Magic. Cowboys O-Line Target Steve Avila of TCU Drafted by Rams And it just wasn't his thing. 'Cookie' Johnson, Magic's Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Johnson has since built up a business empire, which includes real estate holdings, Starbucks franchises, movie theaters and shares of professional sports teams. 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. He is also a published author. So thats whats important, that we have power and that we have a seat at the table., Magic Johnson: 20 years on from an All-Star game that changed basketball, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All Rights Reserved. Inside The Lives Of Magic Johnson's Children - NickiSwift.com He dreamed of the NBA from a young age. 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. Magic and Cookie created the Magic Johnson Foundation in an effort to develop and fund programs that are geared at preventing HIV/AIDS while also providing testing, treatment and scholarships. Magic Johnson announces he is HIV-positive - History He said to me: Earvin, youve got to remember youre in the south and thats how theyre used to talking to Blacks. It was a real eye-opener.. This was the Showtime era when the Lakers reignited the NBA with a brand of fast-paced, flamboyant ball play that won them five championships. Cookie Johnson, Magics Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. It scared me to death, she said. Video related to cookie johnson, magics wife: 5 fast facts you need to know. Magic Johnson remains relatively discreet when it comes to his love life. He had all these ideas. "And what came out of the physical was, 'You have HIV. Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly, 63, was born in Huntsville, Alabama. Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade. The late actor Elizabeth Glaser, who herself contracted HIV after receiving a contaminated blood transfusion, encouraged his public advocacy. The Truth About Magic Johnson And Cookie Johnson's Marriage Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. EJ is a television celebrity, while Elisa has also made appearances on the big screen. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". His career in business did not begin in earnest until his second retirement in the mid-90s. So they thought you couldn't touch people, you couldn't hug people," she said. We had a wonderful conversation. "You're sitting there like, 'Man, how could this happen to me?' Weve been through everything together, Cookie later said of she and Magics relationship, per Essence. Magic said he had a change of heart after a tough conversation with his son. As for children, Cookie and Magic have two named EJ Johnson and Elisa Johnson. His wife has also recently learned she was. Cookie was previously a college basketball player and later became a successful businesswoman. "At that time, people weren't educated. "I wanted to make sure that she was gonna be OK, the baby was gonna be OK, and then I could move forward with trying to make sure I was gonna be OK.". As we talk today, right now, Im thinking, Wow its been 30 years and Im still here, healthy. They started seeing each other January 1, 1991. He taught him the art of aggressive, fast-paced basketball, and how to read the game. Earvin "Magic" Johnson says telling his wife Cookie about his HIV diagnosis was the "toughest" thing he's ever had to do. Magic Johnson - Wikipedia The couple was overjoyed, but a call from the L.A. Laker's team doctor changed everything. The team also included such strong players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Norm Nixon. Who is Magic Johnson's wife, Cookie Johnson? All you need to know! Cookie Johnsons Profession and Charitable Interests. In 1991, he announced that he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Weve lost too many lives that we shouldnt have lost with both Aids and Covid-19 Johnson. Magic has another son from another woman, 35-year old Andre. Against a black-draped backdrop, dressed in a black suit, white shirt and multicoloured tie, Earvin Magic Johnson, spoke calmly into a single microphone and told the world that he had been diagnosed with HIV. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. Just as he had dominated the courts, Johnson became a powerful force in business. I have pictures of all the Little League stuff I put him in and the baseball teams and the football teams. And so I just lost it right there, you know?". During an appearance on CBS Mornings, Magic. In the years following Magics diagnosis, he and Cookie have remained active in combating HIV and AIDS. "A cocktail, once a day," he said. "God blessed us when the test results came back on her and the baby that she didn't have HIV and the baby didn't either," Johnson says. In 2008, he shared his secrets for success with the book 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business. Earvin "Magic" Johnson revealed to the world in 1991 that he was HIV positive and retiring from the Los Angeles Lakers. A post shared by Earvin "Magic" Johnson (@magicjohnson) on Sep 3, 2016 at 9:28am PDT, Essence wrote that Magic organized a black tie affair on the Yacht Club de Monaco with over 100 of their famous friends to honor their special day., Having birthday lunch with family is always special #Blessed #FamilyIsEverything #Grateful, A post shared by Cookie Johnson (@thecookiej) on Jan 20, 2017 at 1:46pm PST. 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. NBC April 15, 2022 at 12:04 AM Magic Johnson is glad he and wife Cookie got married when they did! It taught me how to work alongside somebody who doesnt look like me, he says. "That was a difficult day.". You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Everything Ive done in my lifetime after that involved whites. 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. A lot of people are afraid to hug and kiss those with HIV or AIDS because theyre afraid theyre going to get it. Plus other revelations from Cookie Johnson's new memoir, Believing in Magic. We get popcorn. He dreamed of the NBA from a young age. It was like, I dont want you dancing with me. And as time went on, it never changed.. I'm only as good as Cookie.. Magic Johnsons wife Cookie is a very accomplished woman who has stood by his side for many, many years. The NBA star and businesswoman,. His father would send his children in groups of three to use the bathroom at truck stops to watch each others backs. Cookie Johnson is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and clothing designer. And that trumped everything.". "I told Cookie, I said, 'You know what? "And they say, 'Hey, we ran the tests a couple of times, and yes, you do have HIV.' "We both fell on our knees, and we started crying," she tells Robin Roberts. Initially opposed to the idea, Johnson reflects on it now as one of the most important experiences of his life. A guy like myself swears by him, he says. Were finally starting to understand that. Cause he never said anything to me the entire night, she explained. He knows how he wants it done. At the time he learned he had the disease, his wife Cookie was pregnant with their first child. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "It was hard because I loved her so much and I hated to hurt her," Magic said. The One Thing That Almost Cost Magic Johnson His Marriage. "And I didn't want people to treat us like we were lepers. The lights came up and I happen to be walking by where he was sitting and I said it was nice to meet you. Cookie had been pregnant when Magic broke the news to her, but both have since been given the all clear on a potential diagnoses. 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. Celebrity traction Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor at a 20 Years of Aids, 20 Years of Hope event in Santa Monica in 2001. ", In a 2021 interview with Gayle King on CBS, he explained how his decision and diagnosis weighed on his relationship with Cookie. For the second time in his pro career, the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers for the championship title. We started this in college. Its certainly not the America that Magic Johnson came to embody during his heyday with the LA Lakers throughout the 80s. Bird was one of the first NBA players Johnson called to inform him of his HIV diagnosis. High times as guard for Michigan State, Johnson cuts down the net after winning a championship game in Salt Lake City in 1979. "I wore that white suit for a reason. . The Day Magic Johnson Found Out He Was HIV-Positive They got married in September of 1991 in a private ceremony in Lansing, Los Angeles. "At that time, people weren't educated, so they thought you couldn't touch people. And what does this mean, of course. He has a combination of both of us, Magic said. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. — -- Magic Johnson's wife, Cookie Johnson, recalls the moment her NBA star husband told her the devastating news that he was HIV-positive. It was tough, because Cookie was afraid of what might happen, the backlash if we went public. Who Is NCAA Tournament Star Brandon Miller? At that time, in the 1970s, he idolised players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, and Dave Bing, the Detroit Pistons point guard, who went on to become the citys mayor in 2009. Johnson first learned of his diagnosis after a routine physical ahead of the 1991-92 NBA season. Cookie Johnson Reveals What Led To A Secret 2-Week - HuffPost I plan on going on living for a long time, bugging you guys like I always have, he told reporters, his optimism surprising those who viewed his condition as a death sentence. Aged 15, and with his talent being noticed locally, Johnson faced one of the first big crossroads in his life. The Spartans proved victorious, and the Johnson-Bird rivalry would follow the players to their days with the NBA.