#blackmarriageday earvin johnson jr. and earlitha kelly pic.twitter.com/jPYQrLom8C. "I've played against some of the best basketball players in the world, right? 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. "The key moment was when Cookie took the test and the results came back that her and the baby was fine," the retired NBA star told King, adding he was "scared to death" beforehand. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie has a net worth of $50 million. Cookie and I are in Venice, Italy celebrating our 25th Anniversary! Rumours swirl that Johnsons wealth now exceeds $1bn. Johnson and Cookie have one son, . The lights came up and I happen to be walking by where he was sitting and I said it was nice to meet you. And a few months later, he would play on the U.S. Olympic "Dream Team. Johnson was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Hall of Famer Magic Johnson is one of the most famous basketball players to ever play in the NBA. Johnson continued to play in college for Michigan State University. "Oprah's Next Chapter" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. And so why am I judging him? Magic said. ", "Yeah, you're just in disbelief and in shock," Johnson says. I just thought forget it. . By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. ', Byron Scott Calls Natalia Bryant 'a Beautiful Person' After Her Speech Honoring Dad Kobe: 'He Loved His Girls', Who Is Tony Bennett's Wife? After an agonizing wait, the couple soon got some wonderful news. The two contested back-to-back NBA finals in 1984 and 1985, their differing personas Bird, the insular, precision shotmaker and Johnson the flamboyant superstar making the rivalry all the more intense. In 1991, 32-year-old Magic Johnson was at the top of his game, about to start his 13th season in the NBA. That same year, he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. "We both fell on our knees, and we started crying," she tells Robin Roberts. And I lost it. However, their separation only lasted two weeks. The couple turned their mess into their message, becoming advocates for HIV awareness programs, education and prevention, and the couple's relationship grew stronger, Johnson said. The inspirational couple has been married for about 31 years but their relationship goes further back in time. Along with Michael Jordan and Bird, he was part of the American "Dream Team" that won the gold medal. Racial dynamics also played a part in the way some viewed their opposition (Bird is white). High times as guard for Michigan State, Johnson cuts down the net after winning a championship game in Salt Lake City in 1979. By far, marrying you was one of the best decisions Ive ever made.. Cookie details this story and others in her memoir, Believing in Magic. It was nothing but a strong sense of trust and commitment that kept them from calling it quits on their relationship. It also dives deeper into their lives after Magic was hit with the devastating news. She stands at 5 foot 6 inches. "And she smacked me upside my head and said, 'We're going to beat this together. Magic has another son from another woman, 35-year old Andre. It scared me to death, she said. Magic Johnson's parents, Earl and Christine Johnson, were both African American. ", "I didn't have time to get mad about whatever happened, you know, or start asking questions. On September 14, 1991, Magic Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly at the First AME Church in Los Angeles. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches tall, he made for an impressive point guard. A lot of people are afraid to hug and kiss those with HIV or AIDS because theyre afraid theyre going to get it. There were mixed reviews about his comeback, with several players uncomfortable with the idea of playing alongside an HIV-positive athlete. Cookie Johnson shares the story from her perspective in her new memoir, "Believing in Magic. He knows how he wants it done. While their early days werent the easiest, the couple has stuck it out together and continues to be advocates against HIV/AIDS. Magic and Cookie married in LA in September 1991. — -- Magic Johnson's wife, Cookie Johnson, recalls the moment her NBA star husband told her the devastating news that he was HIV-positive. Johnson explored other options after leaving basketball. Its really sad. "I ended it the way I wanted it to end.". And it just wasn't his thing. Now, how can I help you?". "I was scared to death about the baby. 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. A guy like myself swears by him, he says. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie Johnson's estimated worth is about $50 million. And so everything is great. ", When Johnson walked through the front door, he says Cookie knew something was wrong. While theyve now been married for 30 years, Cookie has built an entire career on her own as well. Im not a go-back person. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. went on to become a reality star of Es Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and his own spinoff show, EJNYC, which premiered this summer. Magic Johnson is rumoured to have hooked up with Kathleen Sullivan . Before taking on a more prominent role with her husband, Cookie also served as spokeswoman for the National Medical Association Immunization Public Service Announcement. He was put in a bad situation.. The couple has been married for 25 years and have three children together. And the white suit, to me, symbolized brightness, like a future basically [and] positivity.". At the time he learned he had the disease, his wife Cookie was pregnant with their first child. "You just sit there and say, what does this mean? We met in college as freshmen [at Michigan State]. She attended an all-black school called Council Training School and later graduated from Michigan State University in 1981 which is where she met Magic Johnson. He said, Yes, I will. I gave him the number and literally the day I set foot back on campus he called me., In the same interview, Cookie recounted her first date with Magic. She educated parents and caregivers on the importance of immunizing children in urban areas against various viruses. 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. "I had to really learn a lot about the disease, HIV as well as AIDS. The couple have two children together, Earvin Johnson III(EJ) and Elisa Johnson. Magic Johnson Marks 30 Years of Living with HIV: 'I Thank the Lord for Keeping Me', Magic Johnson Shuts Down 'False Story' He Donated Blood at the Red Cross, Magic Johnson Explains How He and Wife Cookie Met At a College Party: 'Caught a Brother's Eye', Magic Johnson Shares His Wellness Routine: 'I Wake Up at 4 O'Clock Every Morning', LeBron James' 'Lonely' Early Years in Ohio Detailed in New Biography as His Biopic Sets Release Date, Neil Diamond Says He Has Finally Accepted His Parkinson's Diagnosis: 'A Calm Has Moved In', Gayle King Insisted She Was Not Leaving CBS in Recent Interview Before Reported Deal with CNN, Magic Johnson's 3 Kids: Everything to Know, Magic Johnson Says He's 'So Proud' of Son EJ: 'He's Saving a Lot of People's Lives', Magic Johnson Says 'It Hurts Fans and Parents' When NBA Superstars Sit Out Games, Gayle King and Drew Barrymore Encourage Women to Seek Support During Menopause: 'Don't Be a Hero! 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. He reflected on their marriage again in a 2021 tribute. Johnson came out as gay to his family at the age of 17 and came out publicly in 2013 after a report by TMZ published pictures of him holding hands with a male friend. Game-changer Clients wait for a free HIV test at a mobile testing centre as part of the I Stand with Magic programme in Los Angeles in 2006. During The Lakers ShowTime Era, the team was led by capable players, all of whom played a significant role in the 5 Championships that the Lakers won in the 80s. "The worst thing about it is I knew I was going to hurt her," he says. "In those days, you had to wait almost 10 days to get your results back, so that was agonizing. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! He taught him the art of aggressive, fast-paced basketball, and how to read the game. In November 1991, Johnson retired from the Lakers after revealing that he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Everything about Magic seems so wholesome, including the fact that he has been married to his wife, Cookie, for over 30 years now and that the duo has been together since they first met in. The doctor told him to immediately fly back to Los Angeles, but wouldn't tell him why. He is also a published author. It was sobering, says Johnson, to see Dr Fauci out front and centre again, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Everybody who was somebody during the 80s had to be at the Forum for a Lakers game, because it was the place to be, he says. It was one of the hardest days of his life; he later disclosed he contracted HIV from unprotected sex. Johnson says he was sitting in a hotel in Utah, getting ready for an exhibition game when he got the call. 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. The couple, who met as students at Michigan State University in the 1970s, had married about a month before his diagnosis and they had just learned about her pregnancy. "He said, 'If you want to leave, you know, I don't blame you. Johnson formally returned to the Lakers in early 2017 as president of basketball operations. Her fathers name is Earl and her mothers name is Cora. Johnson opens up about his 30-year marriage to wife Cookie, saying the couple has come a long way. They met each other way back in 1977 and hit it off within a few weeks of getting to know each other. Initially, Cookie admittedly was not in favor of Magic holding the press conference announcing his HIV diagnosis due to the stigma surrounding the disease. We're still those kids from Michigan. Over his long career, Johnson scored 17,707 points and recorded 10,141 assists, 6,559 rebounds and 1,724 steals. In. [protected-iframe id=d38edc4e43748d8b05dc4bf57f6176c2-62957618-114657895 info=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32545640 width=420 height=245], Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy. In 1991, the 13-season Los Angeles Lakers star married his wife, Cookie, who gave birth to their son EJ Johnson soon after. 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. The couple have worked together to promote awareness of the disease, they told Haute Living. Since retiring from basketball, Johnson has become an investment tycoon operating Magic. "And that just broke her heart. His father would send his children in groups of three to use the bathroom at truck stops to watch each others backs. "Everything is great," he said. reality series Rich Kids of Beverly Hills as well as his own spinoff EJNYC in the 2010s. (@elisajohnson) on May 28, 2016 at 3:13pm PDT, EJ was a star on the reality TV show, Rich Kids of Beverly Hills.. She wrote her booka few years back, which discusses her choice to stay by her husbands side during his HIV diagnosis instead of leaving. On September 14, 2021, Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson celebrated their 30-year wedding anniversary. It frustrated me to try on every pair in the store and leave with nothing.. But sport also became a vessel to bring students together. She is doing so many different things within the HIV/AIDS world to make sure others arent faced with the same thing eventually because it is truly an awful virus. Johnson's son Earvin III was born in 1992. They calmed me down, because I was thinking I was going to die, he says. In her interview with Mocha Man Style, Cookie revealed how they maintain their spark. "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.". Cookie wrote in her 2016 memoir, Believing in Magic about the night he revealed to her that he had been diagnosed with HIV. So, are they still in touch? Earlitha Cookie Kelly and Earvin Magic Johnson (Getty). Who Is NCAA Tournament Star Brandon Miller? Venice is absolutely beautiful and we enjoyed touring the city by water taxi! 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. And what does this mean, of course. The One Thing That Almost Cost Magic Johnson His Marriage. It was, 'You're possibly going to die.' In one of the most famous matchups in college basketball history, Johnson went head-to-head with Indiana's star forward, .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Larry Bird. For Johnson, seeing Fauci speak about a new epidemic while reflecting on the HIV crisis of the 1980s has been sobering the racial disparities in American healthcare are stark. 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.. 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. In the 1984 NBA Finals, Johnson again encountered rival Bird, who had signed with the Boston Celtics. "It was hard because I loved her so much and I hated to hurt her," he said. She has always been a woman of charitable interests. The wedding ceremony was attended by many famous personalities including other NBA superstars such as Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. BASKETBALL legend, Magic Johnson has been married to his wife, Cookie, since 1991. 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. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. It was like we were old friends, she continued. Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been married for 31 years since 14th Sep 1991. view relationship. Im his father, so I got to be the first one to say, It's OK and I love you. The two were married in 1991 and have been together ever since. I often tell people when you make a mistake, you not only hurt yourself, but you hurt the ones that love you. 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. We always went to the movies once a week, she said. "I walk in the office and he started talking about the test," Johnson says. All rights reserved. From selling jeans to giving numerous speeches to underprivileged people, Cookie Johnson is much more than just a terrific wife. NBC April 15, 2022 at 12:04 AM Magic Johnson is glad he and wife Cookie got married when they did! 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. Now 61, he is one of those rare public figures who has redefined his purpose at different stages in life: first as an athlete, then as a public health advocate, and later as a successful businessman and philanthropist. Had he grappled with his own mortality? His career in business did not begin in earnest until his second retirement in the mid-90s. [Cookie and I] had a difficult conversation. "Cookie, our 30 year marriage has been the best time of my life," he wrote. Relationship history. That's a huge milestone for any couple, but especially when one of the involved parties. As a young girl I was proud because I thought my dad was a super hero, but as I got older I started to realize who he really was and it made me gain an even greater appreciation for him, she told CR Fashion Book in 2016. As for children, Cookie and Magic have two named EJ Johnson and Elisa Johnson.
Crash My Playa 2022 Packages,
Farmers Bank Of Willards Foreclosures,
When Did Primark Open In Nottingham,
Articles W