We met in college as freshmen [at Michigan State]. ", During the ride home, Johnson says he thought about how he would break the devastating news to her. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. ", "My doctor had told me that, but it's different hearing it from somebody who's actually going through it," Magic added. Cookie Johnson shares the story from her perspective in her new memoir, "Believing in Magic. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . Magic Johnson news, gossip, photos of Magic Johnson, biography, Magic Johnson girlfriend list 2023. Johnson and his wife, Cookie, also have a daughter named Elisa, whom they adopted in 1995. 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. I thank God every day for you and for bringing you into my life! And that's what we did.". As you can see, Cookie Johnson has done a lot of good in her life. Its certainly not the America that Magic Johnson came to embody during his heyday with the LA Lakers throughout the 80s. It was one of the hardest days of his life; he later disclosed he contracted HIV from unprotected sex. https://t.co/ZOn80OKybA pic.twitter.com/VvUpELS7h2, Sports Photos (@sportsphotos) September 14, 2016. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". "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. 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 and his team continued to be one of the NBA's top competitors throughout the rest of the 1980s. She is an entrepreneur and writer. Johnson first learned of his diagnosis after a routine physical ahead of the 1991-92 NBA season. "A cocktail, once a day," he said. But I also knew that Earvin didn't understand. "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. 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. 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. Johnson grew up in the midwestern city of Lansing, the state capital of Michigan. 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. Thats what made Showtime.. Despite being married to one of the greatest NBA players of all time, Cookie Johnson established a very successful career as an entrepreneur and writer. 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. Johnson met Cookie while she was working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. If you have new or updated information on Magic Johnson dating status, please send us a tip. "It was hard because I loved her so much and I hated to hurt her," Magic said. He currently has a voice role on The Proud Family reboot Louder And Prouder. I hope we can turn a corner. During his 1991 press conference Johnson also made clear that his aspirations in business meant he simply had to go on living. When Did Magic Johnson Get Married. 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. But there was no greater pressure than driving home to tell her.". "Yeah, I got cut. Johnson's son Earvin III was born in 1992. 10 Things You Might Not Know About Jimmy Butler, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Magic Johnson, Birth Year: 1959, Birth date: August 14, 1959, Birth State: Michigan, Birth City: Lansing, Birth Country: United States. 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.. Please logout and login again. Johnson continued to play in college for Michigan State University. He established the Magic Johnson Foundation to support HIV/AIDS research efforts and awareness programs that same year. 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. "There wasn't a lot of knowledge back in 1991.". A. Earleatha Johnson was born on January 20th, 1959. "Cookie, our 30 year marriage has been the best time of my life," he wrote. E.J., when he walks in a room, this is the most confident guy. And so everything is great. Cookie also has authored a best-selling book about her and Magic Johnsons life named Believing in Magic. He dreamed of the NBA from a young age. uring his 1991 press conference Johnson also made clear that his aspirations in business meant he simply had to go on living. The Day Magic Johnson Found Out He Was HIV-Positive. 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. We have a long way to go. On November 7, 1991, basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson stuns the world by announcing his sudden retirement from the Los Angeles Lakers, after testing positive for HIV, the virus that . At the time, Magic was in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the doctor didn't want to talk about it over the phone. During the 1993-1994 basketball season, Johnson tried his hand at coaching with the Lakers. High times as guard for Michigan State, Johnson cuts down the net after winning a championship game in Salt Lake City in 1979. Later, the couple also adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995, bringing Magic Johnson's kids total to two. I'm Earvin. The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team. Theres no way hes going to pick me over all these other women.. "This woman here, God let me know why I married her, why he brought us together, Cookie told Roberts. Celebrity traction Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor at a 20 Years of Aids, 20 Years of Hope event in Santa Monica in 2001. 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. NBA legend Earvin Magic Johnson was named the Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations, the organization said in an announcement February 21. How Magic Johnson Told His Wifeand Ex-LoversHe Had HIV. Lansing, like most large cities in the midwest, was de facto segregated. (modern). According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie Johnson's estimated worth is about $50 million. After selling his stake in the Lakers in 2010, Johnson joined an ownership group that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team in 2012. According to Cookie, Magics ego reached outsized proportions in 2001 after his name was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As for children, Cookie and Magic have two named EJ Johnson and Elisa Johnson. He ended up retiring again before returning to the sport he loved one more time in 1996. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. Cookie joined her husband on stage for his announcement along with a specially selected outfit. 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. She said in the book that going through it was like being in her own personal hell filled with silence and darkness, numbness., She wrote that after telling his wife, he locked himself in a room and called the long list of women with whom hed been intimate. Cookie added in the memoir about the night and experience after, In just one moment our world, this perfect union wed fought so hard and so long to have was obliterated.. You know, he was changing the world. Her brand is sold in over 500 specialty stores in the United States. See their heart-melting anniversary messages. Best Known For: Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade. But his professional career was also defined by a bitter rivalry with the Boston Celtics star player Larry Bird, who had been his competitor since college. Plus other revelations from Cookie Johnson's new memoir, Believing in Magic. 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. "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. "And they say, 'Hey, we ran the tests a couple of times, and yes, you do have HIV.' Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. In 1991, 32-year-old Magic Johnson was at the top of his game, about to start his 13th season in the NBA. Sometimes were going in different directions and its so important for marriages to find that time to reconnect., Joshua Jackson Reveals How His Wife Really Feels About His Sex Scenes, Lukas Gage & Chris Appletons Relationship Timeline Is Short AF, Drake Bell's Wife Janet Von Schmeling Files For Divorce, Rachel Weisz & Daniel Craigs Relationship Timeline Includes Babies & Broadway, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. It was sobering, says Johnson, to see Dr Fauci out front and centre again, during the Covid-19 pandemic. "I wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay, the baby was going to be okay, and then I can move forward with making sure I was going to be okay," the former Lakers president said. And the white suit, to me, symbolized brightness, like a future basically [and] positivity.". We had a great time. Johnson was born Earvin Johnson Jr. on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan. 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. He stunned basketball fans and transformed HIV awareness by announcing his diagnosis in 1991. 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. E.J. March 6, 2022 Todd Williamson/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images Magic and Cookie Johnson may have one of the longest-lasting relationships in Hollywood. She has been a key part in reducing the number of infections of the virus in the African-American community by further educating women about the disease and further testing thats available. "At that time, people weren't educated, so they thought you couldn't touch people. He knows how he wants it done. When Johnson broke the news to her, Cookie knew it was "probably through sexual contact," since he hadn't had any blood transfusions, but she was worried about something else. That real talk proved effective. Magic wore a white tuxedo while Cookie looked stunning in her off-shoulder lace gown with puffed sleeves. I often tell people when you make a mistake, you not only hurt yourself, but you hurt the ones that love you. In 2008, he shared his secrets for success with the book 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business. We had a wonderful conversation. I told him Im not giving you my number because youre not even going to remember me in a month. Its just its not America.. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "You're sitting there like, 'Man, how could this happen to me?' Cookie is the first spokeswoman for the I Stand With Magic campaign with Magic Johnson where they continue to fight against HIV/AIDS. Your login session has expired. I dont know where they livemaybe under a rock. No. Relationship history. "I told Cookie, I said, 'You know what? Like her brother EJ, Elisa is interested in fashion, and launched her own sunglass line in 2021. The One Thing That Almost Cost Magic Johnson His Marriage. Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been married for 31 years since 14th Sep 1991. view relationship. In 1992, he wrote the educational guide What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS. And it has interesting parallels for today, when the world continues to battle another public health crisis. 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. I was about to say something back, and my father grabbed me. Cookie recounted her exact emotions when Magic told her in a 2016 interview with Good Morning America. We're still those kids from Michigan. It was preceded by the 6 January insurrection in Washington DC, after which the FBI charged a number of militiamen with plotting to kidnap Michigans Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer. At the time, he was a big man on campus, and all of the girls in her dorm room were peering out of their windows waiting for him to pick her up. In. Now 29, hes gone on to work in fashion, and starred on the E! Johnson says he was sitting in a hotel in Utah, getting ready for an exhibition game when he got the call. I've been in championships. Instead, they went to a steak house. "We both fell on our knees, and we started crying," she tells Robin Roberts. 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Undeterred, Johnson played in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. Johnson was instrumental in bringing LeBron James to the Lakers in 2018, and part of his pitch to James was that James would be able to use the city as a base to further his business interests, which now include his own media company and investments in sports clubs, including Liverpool Football Club. Im his father, so I got to be the first one to say, It's OK and I love you. Cookie recalled so many women being there wanting to meet Magic and was frankly surprised Magic picked her. But he still longed for the game of basketball, and his first retirement would not last long. The Celtics beat the Lakers in a tight competitionfour games to threefor the 1984 championship. [Cookie and I] had a difficult conversation. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. He wore a white tux and she a white gown and large tiara. He was so full of life. Magic Johnson relationship list. "I'm asking him 100 times, 'Are you sure?'" "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.". Magic Johnson dominated the court as one of professional basketball's best players for 13 years. This time, however, L.A. was defeated by Philadelphia, losing four consecutive games to the 76ers and winning none during the series. Today, he remains one of the most famous people in the world living with the virus. Cookie was previously a college basketball player and later became a successful businesswoman. 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. He was put in a bad situation.. "And that just broke her heart. Now they have been married for thirty years. Fortunately, both his wife and their son, Earvin III, tested negative for HIV. In her interview with Mocha Man Style, Cookie revealed how they maintain their spark. After college, she worked as a fashion buyer for several department stores before marrying Magic on September 14th, 1991. While promoting her memoir Believing In Magic in 2017, Cookie spoke to Mocha Man Style about the first time she met Magic. . Who is Magic Johnsons Wife, Earletha Cookie Johnson? Maybe I should look at playing one more time," Johnson said, noting that he wanted to "end it the right way. So they thought you couldn't touch people, you couldn't hug people," she said. When Johnson first heard the news, he was "devastated," he said. There was a lot of breaking up and getting back together, a lot of ups and downs. He then bought a small share of the team. Now, how can I help you?". Tall order Johnson shoots for Michigan State Spartans against the Kentucky Wildcats in c 1977 in East Lansing, Michigan. There was one drug then, now we have 30-something drugs, he says. 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. Yet despite the rivalry, Johnson and Bird eventually became close friends, so the story goes, after Birds mother cooked Johnson lunch during the filming of a 1985 Converse shoe advert starring them both. "You just sit there and say, what does this mean? That would have been just devastating to me.". "I just sat her down and began to tell her that I had HIV," he says. When Magic Johnson's iconic basketball career was interrupted by a stunning HIV diagnosis three decades ago, the newlywed NBA legend had no idea how much time he had to live or how the virus would affect his wife and their unborn child. Its shocking how many people dont get it. The wedding ceremony was two months before Magic announced to the world that he was infected with.