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Zooey Zephyr disciplined by GOP-controlled state House, GOP lawmakers seek "disciplinary consequences" for Montana transgender lawmaker. ", "I didn't have time to get mad about whatever happened, you know, or start asking questions. Lansing, like most large cities in the midwest, was de facto segregated. Just as he had dominated the courts, Johnson became a powerful force in business. By far, marrying you was one of the best decisions Ive ever made.. E! He had a passion for basketball and would start practicing as early as 7:30 a.m. At Everett High School, Johnson earned his famous nickname, "Magic," after a sportswriter witnessed him compile 36 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists in a single game. Astrological Sign: Leo. Like her brother EJ, Elisa is interested in fashion, and launched her own sunglass line in 2021. According to Cookie, Magic didnt ask her to dance. Best Known For: Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade. What would he do next? In the years following Magics diagnosis, he and Cookie have remained active in combating HIV and AIDS. Magic Johnsons Son E.J. But there was no greater pressure than driving home to tell her.". The latter became a media sensation after her relationship with the basketball icon. Two decades later, Magic and Cookie are still married. "Yes, because I was scared to death," he said. You know, why is he in there so long?' In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. Her fathers name is Earl and her mothers name is Cora. Johnson first learned of his diagnosis after a routine physical ahead of the 1991-92 NBA season. "'I'm looking at you like this sitting on this couch. It was sobering, says Johnson, to see Dr Fauci out front and centre again, during the Covid-19 pandemic. While Cookie thought their first date would be nonchalant, Magic took her to an actual steakhouse. A post shared by Cookie Johnson (@thecookiej) on Feb 19, 2017 at 5:38pm PST. He has a combination of both of us, Magic said. ", We know that religion says no and I did have a big problem with that and I prayed about it a lot, Cookie said. Cookie Johnson, Magics Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. He remembers in detail how his parents would pack food for the entire drive and eat on the side of the road rather than risk entering an unknown restaurant. 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. His oldest son Andre is also an entrepreneur who worked first for his fathers Magic Johnson Enterprises and then later became the Vice President of Business Development at Mythical Games. He also made headlines when he came out publicly as gay back in April of 2013 during his sophomore year at New York University. "And that just broke her heart. She wrote in her memoir that things came to a head at an industry party, when Magic wasnt interested in dancing with her. Magic became a father in 1981 when his then-girlfriend, Melissa Mitchell, gave birth to a baby boy. Get viral NBA graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. Thats who I am.. The couple got married in September 1991, in a small private wedding in Lansing, Michigan. Johnson formally returned to the Lakers in early 2017 as president of basketball operations. As a boy, he practised basketball relentlessly, encouraged by his father, who worked grinding shifts at a local General Motors plant. And a few months later, he would play on the U.S. Olympic "Dream Team. This is just the start though. 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. "It was hard because I loved her so much and I hated to hurt her," Magic, 62, told King, 66. When Magic retired from the NBA, he became a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS prevention. We have a good time., The couple also enjoys spending time at their beach house together. At the time of his diagnosis, Johnson thought the virus was a death sentence. It scared me to death, she said. And the white suit, to me, symbolized brightness, like a future basically [and] positivity.". On 7 November 1991, a press conference in Inglewood, California, brought America to a standstill. So, are they still in touch? They met each other way back in 1977 and hit it off within a few weeks of getting to know each other. ", "And that's why I came back," he said. Johnson has never watched a recording of that press conference. Magic Johnson news, gossip, photos of Magic Johnson, biography, Magic Johnson girlfriend list 2023. 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. Ultimately, I just prayed to God and said, "God you revealed to me how you feel about this." Magic and Cookie had been married just over a month when Los Angeles Lakers team doctor Micahel Mellman delivered the devastating news in 1991. "It was hard because I loved her so much and I hated to hurt her," Magic said. Johnson was born Earvin Johnson Jr. on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan. ", "It proved to be the right decision," he said. Johnsons father didnt fly, so the family would drive 900 miles (1,450km) on a two-day trip. There was, of course, his wife, Cookie the love of his life, whom he had met at college and had recently married. Cookie Johnson is 64 years of age. He knows what he wants. 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.. Aside from being a best-selling author, Cookie is also a businesswoman. 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. The Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson story is a testament to love, dedication, and commitment to bettering themselves and their community. 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. She has two siblings - an older sister Pat and a younger brother Harold Earl. Cookie was instrumental in creating a program called BREATHE, which works to prevent asthma in young children. 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. He was raised by his mom and would visit his. Johnson and his team continued to be one of the NBA's top competitors throughout the rest of the 1980s. [My mind] went to 'He is possibly going to die,'" Johnson told Roberts. 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. The couple live in Beverly Hills with their family. Cookie Johnson shares the story from her perspective in her new memoir, "Believing in Magic. It was, 'You're possibly going to die.' Public perception about the disease at the time was widely regarded with ignorance. As for children, Cookie and Magic have two named EJ Johnson and Elisa Johnson. Cookie details this story and others in her memoir, Believing in Magic. 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.. Magics departure from the NBA remains one of the most shocking moments in sports history. And she wanted me to go public. Powered by. Please enter valid email address to continue. After college, she worked as a fashion buyer for several department stores before marrying Magic on September 14th, 1991. ", During the ride home, Johnson says he thought about how he would break the devastating news to her. ", When Johnson walked through the front door, he says Cookie knew something was wrong. "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. [Magic] was standing there by the doorway when I walked in with a friend of mine, she said. They were very supportive of their son and his career. Her brand is sold in over 500 specialty stores in the United States. At the time, Magic was in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the doctor didn't want to talk about it over the phone. Johnson and Cookie have one son, . His other ventures include- being co-founder of Love + Light Ventures, LLC in April 2014, and joining The Virtual Reality Company as Head of Business Development. It was like we were old friends, she continued. I felt bad for him. His public appearances always make Johnson smile, but his treatment by former president Donald Trump, who often outwardly shunned the countrys foremost infectious disease expert, was infuriating. When EJ was on the show, Magic told TMZ that he was very happy for his son to be featured. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. A lot of people are afraid to hug and kiss those with HIV or AIDS because theyre afraid theyre going to get it. Magic said he had a change of heart after a tough conversation with his son. I went to Bible study, talked to a Bible study teacher about it a lot. I just knew that this is what made him happy. 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. We sit down and this guy says: Boy, what you want? he recalls. Just as Black Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV and Aids, so has Covid-19 killed at a racially disproportionate rate. Quinn Allen is a freelance sports journalist and full-time editor for ClutchPoints. Even though Johnson had not played a single regular season game, fans voted him onto the NBA All-Star team in 1992. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. So he never makes a quick decision. "Because she had waited for me, been patient with me, supported me -- and now I'm about to break her heart. The Johnsons adopted their daughter, Elisa, when she was three days old. You know sometimes when you meet people and you have to make conversation until you really get to know them? Since retiring from basketball, Johnson has become an investment tycoon operating Magic. In 1991, he announced that he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. He hoped to return to professional basketball for the next season, but he dropped that plan amidst fear from other players who were concerned about playing with an HIV-positive competitor. The Day Magic Johnson Found Out He Was HIV-Positive. Cookie opened up to Oprah about how Magic broke off. He now holds stakes in the LA Dodgers baseball team, the womens basketball team LA Sparks and the Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC. But the toughest part of his diagnosis, he said, was to drive home and tell his wife. Back at home, the news tested the strength of their marriage. There they faced off against the Indiana State Sycamores. We go to the movies. EJ is openly gay and Elisa was adopted in 1995. . "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". "I've played against some of the best basketball players in the world, right? Magic Johnson dominated the court as one of professional basketball's best players for 13 years. The Celtics beat the Lakers in a tight competitionfour games to threefor the 1984 championship. So we had a lot of conversations and a lot of long walks.". The wedding ceremony was attended by many famous personalities including other NBA superstars such as Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. 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 took me on a real date. Magic Johnson remains relatively discreet when it comes to his love life. When Quinn isn't producing content for CP, he's writing predictions across the European soccer and NBA world for bettors at Sports Betting Dime, one of the fastest-growing sports betting sites in North America. She has since become known for her philanthropic work within various organizations. 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 told Cookie, I said, 'You know what?