Cookie was previously a college basketball player and later became a successful businesswoman. And it has interesting parallels for today, when the world continues to battle another public health crisis. The couple opened up about the impact the diagnosis had on their relationship in an interview with CBS Mornings' Gayle King that aired Thursday. All rights reserved. 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. Cookie opened up to Oprah about how Magic broke off. 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.. That kind of got to me, because it had been boiling, boiling, boiling, boiling anyway. There was, of course, his wife, Cookie the love of his life, whom he had met at college and had recently married. Their legacy will undoubtedly live on for generations to come as they serve as role models for anyone looking to make positive changes in the world today. Magic Johnson is rumoured to have hooked up with Kathleen Sullivan . Cookie Johnson and Magic Johnson got married in 1991 in Lansing, Michigan, just 45 days before Magic was diagnosed with HIV. Before taking on a more prominent role with her husband, Cookie also served as spokeswoman for the National Medical Association Immunization Public Service Announcement. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. So they thought you couldn't touch people, you couldn't hug people," she said. Andre is known for staying out of the public eye. In 2008, he shared his secrets for success with the book 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business. Magic and Cookie had been married just over a month when Los Angeles Lakers team doctor Micahel Mellman delivered the devastating news in 1991. How had he acquired the virus? He wore a white tux and she a white gown and large tiara. The Celtics beat the Lakers in a tight competitionfour games to threefor the 1984 championship. "It was hard because I loved her so much and I hated to hurt her," Magic said. How long have Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson been Married. 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. He has a combination of both of us, Magic said. Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been a much-lauded couple for many years, and their story is worth being inspired by. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie Johnson's estimated worth is about $50 million. Even after he joined the NBA, Johnson remembers entering a Mississippi diner on a family trip and being approached by a white server. "I was a broke college student, and so she had to use her book money so that we could order a pizza and . Johnson says he was sitting in a hotel in Utah, getting ready for an exhibition game when he got the call. Cookie Johnsons Profession and Charitable Interests. It was, 'You're possibly going to die.' Upon his return, Magic was told that he tested positive for HIV. A. Earleatha Johnson was born on January 20th, 1959. That year Johnson also averaged a career-best 23.9 points per game, resulting in his first regular-season NBA MVP awardan honor he would receive again in 1989 and 1990. The NBA star credits his wife for her unconditional support. 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. 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. "I wasn't sick." When EJ was on the show, Magic told TMZ that he was very happy for his son to be featured. Johnson also shared her heartache as she waited behind closed doors as her husband made phone calls to the various women he had slept with. 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. 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.' Astrological Sign: Leo. — -- Magic Johnson's wife, Cookie Johnson, recalls the moment her NBA star husband told her the devastating news that he was HIV-positive. But instead, he was among Lansings first students to be bussed across the city to a majority white high school, Everett, on the south side. Magic wore a white tuxedo while Cookie looked stunning in her off-shoulder lace gown with puffed sleeves. After years of unsuccessful dieting, EJ Johnson underwent gastric sleeve surgery when he was 22 years old. ohnson grew up in the midwestern city of Lansing, the state capital of Michigan. The 63-year-old American basketball player is married to Cookie Johnson. So we had a lot of conversations and a lot of long walks.". Later, the couple also adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995, bringing Magic Johnson's kids total to two. Cookie was also pregnant at the time, which certainly scared her. 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. I love you. This time, however, L.A. was defeated by Philadelphia, losing four consecutive games to the 76ers and winning none during the series. We sit down and this guy says: Boy, what you want? he recalls. Please logout and login again. She said, I couldnt find jeans to fit my body type. When Magic retired from the NBA, he became a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS prevention. Theres no way hes going to pick me over all these other women.. And it just wasn't his thing. 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. she said. I went to a club. 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. The couple never kept it secret that their son, Earvin Johnson III, who goes by E.J., is gay, but Cookie and Magic Johnson explained how they came to terms with it. Cookie was previously a college basketball player and later became a successful. #blackmarriageday earvin johnson jr. and earlitha kelly pic.twitter.com/jPYQrLom8C. But, as he remembers the period shortly after the diagnosis, he thinks of those he relied on. We're still those kids from Michigan. 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.. Leaving college after two years, Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979. "The doctor tells you and you just laid on the floor. Advertisement Lakers champion Magic Johnson found a brilliant woman, Cookie, to call his own in 1991. The couple got married in September 1991, in a small private wedding in Lansing, Michigan. She had a degree in retailing of clothing and textiles. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. The NBA star and businesswoman,. "It scared me to death. he told "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King. And so everything is great. 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. I mean, I fell to my knees," she told "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts. Heres what you need to know about Cookie: #OnThisDay in 1991 NBA star Magic Johnson marries Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly. 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. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie has a net worth of $50 million. Undeterred, Johnson played in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. 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. His wife has also recently learned she was. In the above clip from "Oprah's Next Chapter," Johnson remembers that fateful day. When Magic informed Cookie that he had likely contracted the disease via sexual contact, she was more concerned about his well-being. He retired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 1991 after revealing that he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, though he later returned in 1996 for one final season. Johnson met Cookie while she was working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. Cookie and Magic got married in September 1991, with a small wedding in Lansing, Michigan. 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. 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. He established the Magic Johnson Foundation to support HIV/AIDS research efforts and awareness programs that same year. At the time, many people thought the virus mostly affected homosexuals or intravenous drug users. 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. Were very simple. 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. 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. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. He currently has a voice role on The Proud Family reboot Louder And Prouder. And that's what I'm doing., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson story is a testament to love, dedication, and commitment to bettering themselves and their community. 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. We always went to the movies once a week, she said. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". The wedding ceremony was attended by many famous personalities including other NBA superstars such as Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. The couple wed on Sept. 14, 1991, just 45 days before Magic revealed his diagnosis to his wife. After that, his focus finally began to shift. The couple has been together on and off for over four decades. The couple live in Beverly Hills with their family. She has two siblings - an older sister Pat and a younger brother Harold Earl. Fortunately, both his wife and their son, Earvin III, tested negative for HIV. One of the only clubs on the campus. High times as guard for Michigan State, Johnson cuts down the net after winning a championship game in Salt Lake City in 1979. At the time of his diagnosis, Johnson thought the virus was a death sentence. The Day Magic Johnson Found Out He Was HIV-Positive. He created Magic Johnson Enterprises, which has a variety of holdings. Its just its not America.. According to Cookie, Magics ego reached outsized proportions in 2001 after his name was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been married for 31 years since 14th Sep 1991. view relationship. Hall of Famer Magic Johnson is one of the most famous basketball players to ever play in the NBA. Its really sad. Johnson had previously written two books about himself and the game, 1983's Magic and 1989's Magic's Touch. While Cookie thought their first date would be nonchalant, Magic took her to an actual steakhouse. 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. Even though Johnson had not played a single regular season game, fans voted him onto the NBA All-Star team in 1992. Video related to cookie johnson, magics wife: 5 fast facts you need to know. She even released a book called Believing in Magic which highlighted the journeys theyve gone through together and how she dealt with the sad news. No. He started comparatively small, with a minor investment in the LA Lakers that has since ballooned into a large investment portfolio, centred around sport teams in Los Angeles. We dont have to stay in touch with each other, thats not what we do, he says, describing a friendship forged in unique circumstances. He made a splash in July 2018 by signing megastar free agent LeBron James, but abruptly resigned his post at the end of the 2018-2019 NBA season. I told him Im not giving you my number because youre not even going to remember me in a month. Much of his efforts have focused on developing urban areas, bringing Starbucks coffee franchises and movie theaters into underserved communities. Magic has had his wife Cookie along for the ride. Johnson formally returned to the Lakers in early 2017 as president of basketball operations. For the second time in his pro career, the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers for the championship title. Magic Johnson's diagnosis in 1991 only inspired him to achieve greater heights professionally. With the first pick in the 1979 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Magic, bringing him to Los Angeles. We cant be cheering for Boston, those white guys, he recalls them saying. I guess now I get to enjoy some of the other sides of living.. In. 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. It was so funny because every girl on campus wanted to meet him, Cookie recalls of their first encounter. She even released a book called "Believing in Magic" which. Lansing itself has become a hotbed of extremist militia activity and Johnson watched in horror as armed conservative groups stormed into the state Capitol in April last year, protesting against Covid-19 lockdown laws. From a large family, Johnson grew up with nine brothers and sisters. She wrote her booka few years back, which discusses her choice to stay by her husbands side during his HIV diagnosis instead of leaving. So he never makes a quick decision. "And then the worst thing was Cookie was pregnant with E.J. Elisa has mainly stayed away from the public and maintains a pleasant living. Please enter valid email address to continue. That real talk proved effective. That's a huge milestone for any couple, but especially when one of the involved parties. He knows how he wants it done. And that trumped everything.". 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. Magic Johnson Wife . Earvin "Magic" Johnson says telling his wife Cookie about his HIV diagnosis was the "toughest" thing he's ever had to do. While promoting her memoir Believing In Magic in 2017, Cookie spoke to Mocha Man Style about the first time she met Magic. As we talk today, right now, Im thinking, Wow its been 30 years and Im still here, healthy. I know when I come here [home], I'm not Magic. And they didn't have to worry about trying to test the baby because, really, I mean, he hadn't really formed yet, actually. He taught him the art of aggressive, fast-paced basketball, and how to read the game. His father would send his children in groups of three to use the bathroom at truck stops to watch each others backs. His wife has also recently learned she was pregnant. Quinn Allen is a freelance sports journalist and full-time editor for ClutchPoints. Two decades later, Magic and Cookie are still married. 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. There were his teammates at the Los Angeles Lakers, who embraced him, and would go on to support him when he returned to play again, first as part of the 1992 Olympics dream team and then during another stint at the Lakers. "It was, 'You're possibly going to die.' Regardless of his marital status, we are rooting for his. Magic Johnson Parents. He wanted to own his own NBA franchise and had harboured a desire to make and create wealth from a young age. We're gonna figure out how to beat this thing,'" she recalled. 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. 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. Magics departure from the NBA remains one of the most shocking moments in sports history. In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. Then I said, 'Are you kidding me? ", Cookie eventually went to the news conference wearing a white suit that she said symbolized "brightness" and "a future.". We have a long way to go. It was Nov. 7, 1991, when Los Angeles Lakers star player Earvin "Magic" Johnson publicly announced his diagnosis and sent shock waves across the nation. 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. EJ is a television celebrity, while Elisa has also made appearances on the big screen. ", During the ride home, Johnson says he thought about how he would break the devastating news to her. "He said, 'If you want to leave, you know, I don't blame you. Her brand is sold in over 500 specialty stores in the United States. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. At the "They Call Me Magic" premiere, the NBA legend told Access Hollywood about how he. And I lost it. However, their separation only lasted two weeks. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. E.J., when he walks in a room, this is the most confident guy. Cookie Johnson shares the story from her perspective in her new memoir, "Believing in Magic." 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. What would he do next? ", "I was just devastated because I thought I had did everything right," Johnson says. Maybe I should look at playing one more time," Johnson said, noting that he wanted to "end it the right way. 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. But he still longed for the game of basketball, and his first retirement would not last long. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Instead, they went to a steak house. It scared me to death, she said. "You just sit there and say, what does this mean? All Rights Reserved. In the 1984 NBA Finals, Johnson again encountered rival Bird, who had signed with the Boston Celtics. In the years following Magics diagnosis, he and Cookie have remained active in combating HIV and AIDS. He retired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 1991 after revealing that he had tested positive for. He finally retired for good that same year, leaving behind an impressive legacy. As a boy, he practised basketball relentlessly, encouraged by his father, who worked grinding shifts at a local General Motors plant. He and Cookie have been together throughout this time, and neither she nor their son, Earvin Johnson III, have HIV. I have pictures of all the Little League stuff I put him in and the baseball teams and the football teams. He was supported by his family in his decision to come out publicly. Johnson, who remains HIV-undetectable to this day, opened up about living with the virus and his career in an exclusive interview for "CBS Mornings" nearly 30 years after he publicly announced his HIV diagnosis. Johnson continued to play in college for Michigan State University. uring his 1991 press conference Johnson also made clear that his aspirations in business meant he simply had to go on living. On September 14, 2021, Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson celebrated their 30-year wedding anniversary. "And she smacked me upside my head and said, 'We're going to beat this together. 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 may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Even today, as were talking about it right now, I still cant believe all the events that happened within a year. Best Known For: Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade. How Magic Johnson Told His Wifeand Ex-LoversHe Had HIV. Magic Johnson's parents, Earl and Christine Johnson, were both African American. Johnson attended New York University, studying hospitality with a focus on event planning and design. I've been in championships. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . I understand.' I thank God every day for you and for bringing you into my life! Venice is absolutely beautiful and we enjoyed touring the city by water taxi! The state-mandated integration of education brought its own tensions: playground fights and bullying. 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. Aside from being a best-selling author, Cookie is also a businesswoman. 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. The retired NBA legend and his wife have created a legacy of love, philanthropy, business success, and advocacy that has made them household names. The doctor told him to immediately fly back to Los Angeles, but wouldn't tell him why. "'I'm looking at you like this sitting on this couch. The Lakers, however, took down the Celtics the following year in the Finals. 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. We, as Black people, had never really understood generational wealth and passing that wealth on, he says. 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. 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. At that time, when you got something like HIV, there were so many things I didnt know, so they had to educate me about how the virus was going to act in my body, what I could expect. It was referred to as "gay cancer" but that's because so little was understood about the disease. In 1992, he wrote the educational guide What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS. Magic Johnsons Son E.J. Johnson's decision to go public with his medical condition helped raise awareness about the disease. "Yes, because I was scared to death," he said. Magic Johnson's rivalry with fellow basketball legend Larry Bird began when the two attended college and lasted throughout their time in the NBA. "I wore that white suit for a reason. Powered by. 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. I went to Bible study, talked to a Bible study teacher about it a lot. The wedding ceremony was two months before Magic announced to the world that he was infected with. The Magic Johnson Foundation was formed in 1991 to address the educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities. Relationship history. 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. "That was a difficult day.". 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. I had to make sure that I was open-minded enough to ask a lot of questions, go get a lot of information from different people," he said. Johnson was born Earvin Johnson Jr. on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan. They calmed me down, because I was thinking I was going to die, he says. Rumours swirl that Johnsons wealth now exceeds $1bn. On 7 November 1991, a press conference in Inglewood, California, brought America to a standstill. He was raised by his mom and would visit his. You know, why is he in there so long?' But there was no greater pressure than driving home to tell her.". Celebrity traction Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor at a 20 Years of Aids, 20 Years of Hope event in Santa Monica in 2001. Earletha Cookie Johnson was born on January 20, 1959, in Alabama. 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. [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. I dont live in the past, he says. It frustrated me to try on every pair in the store and leave with nothing..
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