when did magic johnson get married

when did magic johnson get married

That hurt me." When the Lakers would travel to Boston, Johnson recalls, some Black residents of the city would approach him and say they were backing the Lakers over their local team. Had he grappled with his own mortality? But, as he remembers the period shortly after the diagnosis, he thinks of those he relied on. [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. After selling his stake in the Lakers in 2010, Johnson joined an ownership group that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team in 2012. 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. 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. He is bashful, however, when I ask about this and says only: Im happy Ive got a great life and that my kids are going to be fine.. I know when I come here [home], I'm not Magic. The couple has been together on and off for over four decades. The latter was adopted in 1995. Lets just hope we get this one right, in the black and brown community, because we never really got HIV and Aids right.. At the time, many people thought the virus mostly affected homosexuals or intravenous drug users. Aside from being a best-selling author, Cookie is also a businesswoman. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. He dreamed of the NBA from a young age. Advertisement Lakers champion Magic Johnson found a brilliant woman, Cookie, to call his own in 1991. The soul comes from her [Cookie]. Weve been through everything together, Cookie later said of she and Magics relationship, per Essence. According to Cookie, Magic didnt ask her to dance. It scared me to death, she said. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". He was called back home from a pre-season game in Utah, so that Lakers team physician Dr. Michael . Now, how can I help you?". It was one of the hardest days of his life; he later disclosed he contracted HIV from unprotected sex. 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. Racial dynamics also played a part in the way some viewed their opposition (Bird is white). Cookie joined her husband on stage for his announcement along with a specially selected outfit. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. [Magic] was standing there by the doorway when I walked in with a friend of mine, she said. He had all these ideas. He knows how he wants it done. He specializes mainly in soccer, basketball, and baseball. That was the beginning of when I fell in love with him.. And he's gonna be just that. This is just the start though. In the years following Magics diagnosis, he and Cookie have remained active in combating HIV and AIDS. The following year, he played an important role in taking the Spartans all the way to the NCAA Finals. 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. Quinn Allen is a freelance sports journalist and full-time editor for ClutchPoints. Magic has had his wife Cookie along for the ride. Johnson met Cookie while she was working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. Johnson and his team continued to be one of the NBA's top competitors throughout the rest of the 1980s. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! From winning five NBA titles to making 12 All-Star teams, his career was nothing short of amazing. Cookie had been pregnant when Magic broke the news to her, but both have since been given the all clear on a potential diagnoses. "A cocktail, once a day," he said. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations. She has always been a woman of charitable interests. The couple have worked together to promote awareness of the disease, they told Haute Living. Weve lost too many lives that we shouldnt have lost with both Aids and Covid-19 Johnson. He spent 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring due to contracting HIV in 1991. "It scared me to death. But there was no greater pressure than driving home to tell her.". 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. Now they have been married for thirty years. Magic wore a white tuxedo while Cookie looked stunning in her off-shoulder lace gown with puffed sleeves. And he was like, "Love your child." So we had a lot of conversations and a lot of long walks.". And that's what I love about him. He currently has a voice role on The Proud Family reboot Louder And Prouder. The NBA star and businesswoman,. "He said, 'If you want to leave, you know, I don't blame you. She wrote her booka few years back, which discusses her choice to stay by her husbands side during his HIV diagnosis instead of leaving. 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. I went to a club. Then I said, 'Are you kidding me? Cookie Johnson is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and clothing designer. In this post, were taking a look at Magic Johnsons wife, Cookie Johnson. went on to become a reality star of Es Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and his own spinoff show, EJNYC, which premiered this summer. 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. ", Cookie eventually went to the news conference wearing a white suit that she said symbolized "brightness" and "a future.". 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. Professional rivalry and racial dynamics Larry Bird of Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson during the 1984 NBA Finals at the Forum in Los Angeles. "'You know, the man I married was a hard worker. She has since become known for her philanthropic work within various organizations. 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. My goal is to go out across the country and speak to over 1,000 women; to educate them and to empower them, Cookie told Matt Lauer in the 2007 interview. In 2008, he shared his secrets for success with the book 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business. I told him Im not giving you my number because youre not even going to remember me in a month. He also made headlines when he came out publicly as gay back in April of 2013 during his sophomore year at New York University. 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. He stunned basketball fans and transformed HIV awareness by announcing his diagnosis in 1991. I often tell people when you make a mistake, you not only hurt yourself, but you hurt the ones that love you. "I've played against some of the best basketball players in the world, right? There was a lot of breaking up and getting back together, a lot of ups and downs. Like Magic, Cookie attended and graduated from Michigan State University. #blackmarriageday earvin johnson jr. and earlitha kelly pic.twitter.com/jPYQrLom8C. Cookie and Magic got married in September 1991, with a small wedding in Lansing, Michigan. Magic Johnsons Son E.J. Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been a much-lauded couple for many years, and their story is worth being inspired by. 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. Both of his parents workedhis father for the General Motors plant in town and his mother as a school custodian. In 1991, he announced that he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. He would sit on the couch and watch the Lakers play, thinking, "I should be there," he recalls. I didn't want to wear anything dark or black because to me, it's what it symbolized. Cookie serves on the organizations board of directors. On 7 November 1991, a press conference in Inglewood, California, brought America to a standstill. After college, she worked as a fashion buyer for several department stores before marrying Magic on September 14th, 1991. Mellman told him he had a chance to live for a long time with all the new drugs that were being developed, Johnson said. ", "And that's why I came back," he said. confirmed that the reality star had gone under the knife in August 2014 after hinting. November 4, 2021 / 8:47 AM No. Kelly had virtually remained quiet on the issue for 16 years, but in an interview on NBCs Today Show, the couple spoke out against the fatal disease. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie has a net worth of $50 million. Lansing, like most large cities in the midwest, was de facto segregated. However, she was upset when he told her he'd understand if she wanted. It was, 'You're possibly going to die.' The One Thing That Almost Cost Magic Johnson His Marriage. Magic Johnson is one of the most iconic athletes and NBA players in basketball history. Everything has gone right. He also became the all-time leader in NBA assists per game, with an average of 11.2a title that he continues to hold today. That kind of got to me, because it had been boiling, boiling, boiling, boiling anyway. 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. Johnson recalls asking his doctor. He wore a white tux and she a white gown and large tiara. He wanted to own his own NBA franchise and had harboured a desire to make and create wealth from a young age. He created Magic Johnson Enterprises, which has a variety of holdings. Were very simple. "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. No. During his 1991 press conference Johnson also made clear that his aspirations in business meant he simply had to go on living. In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. Denim was always a huge passion of hers growing up so this is truly a dream come true. [Cookie and I] had a difficult conversation. The couple wed on Sept. 14, 1991, just 45 days before Magic revealed his diagnosis to his wife. And as time went on, it never changed.. Please logout and login again. I guess now I get to enjoy some of the other sides of living.. They told me that the three-drug combination was going to save my life, and they were right.. His wife has also recently learned she was. 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. 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. "I had to really learn a lot about the disease, HIV as well as AIDS. As we talk today, right now, Im thinking, Wow its been 30 years and Im still here, healthy. Were finally starting to understand that. "Yes, because I was scared to death," he said. Weve lost too many lives that we shouldnt have lost with both Aids and Covid-19, he says, but then he returns to that same sense of optimism. In the year 1991. "It was like, 'Who is he calling? "And what came out of the physical was, 'You have HIV. They were very supportive of their son and his career. 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. Even after he joined the NBA, Johnson remembers entering a Mississippi diner on a family trip and being approached by a white server. He said, Yeah, by the way, give me your number. Im like what? 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. Back at home, the news tested the strength of their marriage. The NBA star credits his wife for her unconditional support. 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. 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. I understand.' It also dives deeper into their lives after Magic was hit with the devastating news. Today, the Lakers star is a loving father and grandfather, a successful businessman, a philanthropist and the CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. 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. Later, the couple also adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995, bringing Magic Johnson's kids total to two. We always went to the movies once a week, she said. This time, however, L.A. was defeated by Philadelphia, losing four consecutive games to the 76ers and winning none during the series. ", During the ride home, Johnson says he thought about how he would break the devastating news to her. "I told Cookie, I said, 'You know what? According to Cookie, Magics ego reached outsized proportions in 2001 after his name was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 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. On October 24, 1991, he got a call from the Lakers physician asking him to come home right away. 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. Cookie, our 30 year marriage has been the best time of my life, he wrote on Instagram. / CBS News. But he still longed for the game of basketball, and his first retirement would not last long. As you can see, Cookie Johnson has done a lot of good in her life. [My mind] went to 'He is possibly going to die,'" Johnson told Roberts. It was referred to as "gay cancer" but that's because so little was understood about the disease. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Johnson grew up in the midwestern city of Lansing, the state capital of Michigan. "Yeah, I got cut. she said. It was so funny because every girl on campus wanted to meet him, Cookie recalls of their first encounter. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "And then the worst thing was Cookie was pregnant with E.J. Thirty years on, he discusses his relationship with Anthony Fauci, the meaning of money and why hes still optimistic. There are so many misconceptions out there, and because of that, it has caused so much discrimination. When EJ was on the show, Magic told TMZ that he was very happy for his son to be featured. 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. Thats who I am.. And I was still trying to figure it out. Along with her husband she founded The Magic Johnson Foundation (MJF) which focuses on developing programs that encourage academic achievement while also promoting healthy lifestyles among underserved communities nationwide including HIV/AIDS awareness programs targeted toward urban youth populations. Cookie Johnson, Magics Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Johnson says he was sitting in a hotel in Utah, getting ready for an exhibition game when he got the call. And then, finally, the results came in and what they told me was that if the mother is negative, then the baby is automatically negative. When Magic retired from the NBA, he became a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS prevention. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. Johnson said it was a huge relief when his wife's and baby's test results came back negative. Magic Johnson's parents, Earl and Christine Johnson, were both African American. They told me that the three-drug combination was going to save my life, and they were right Earvin Magic Johnson Jr at his offices in Los Angeles. There was, of course, his wife, Cookie the love of his life, whom he had met at college and had recently married. And the white suit, to me, symbolized brightness, like a future basically [and] positivity.". He dreamed of the NBA from a young age. 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. The wedding ceremony was two months before Magic announced to the world that he was infected with HIV. 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. . Just as he had dominated the courts, Johnson became a powerful force in business. 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. Magics departure from the NBA remains one of the most shocking moments in sports history. "'I'm looking at you like this sitting on this couch. I think we both gotta give Elizabeth Glaser a lot of credit for our strength in helping us to really understand what we had to go through as a family and then myself, what I had to go through, Magic said. 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.. 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. The Lakers, however, took down the Celtics the following year in the Finals. I went to Bible study, talked to a Bible study teacher about it a lot. Despite being diagnosed with such a life-threatening disease at the height of his career, he managed to survive and thrive as a businessman with the help and support of people like his wife Cookie. reality series Rich Kids of Beverly Hills as well as his own spinoff EJNYC in the 2010s. February 18, 2022, 10:40 AM. 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. We sit down and this guy says: Boy, what you want? he recalls. We get popcorn. They got married in September of 1991 in a private ceremony in Lansing, Los Angeles. It was a seismic moment, not only in the history of basketball, but in the continuing war on HIV and Aids, as an athlete of Johnsons stature vowed in public to raise awareness about the virus. 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. 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. Johnson said she agonized while she waited for her test results for herself and her unborn child. "I walk in the office and he started talking about the test," Johnson says. "That was a difficult day.". According to Cookie, that was the moment she fell in love with him. The 63-year-old American basketball player is married to Cookie Johnson. Thats the country. There was also a lot of fear and confusion regarding how the disease could be transmitted. It frustrated me to try on every pair in the store and leave with nothing.. 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. He took me on a real date. I'm gonna stay here and we're gonna beat this thing. And so I just lost it right there, you know?". How had he acquired the virus? Jun 10, 2014, 02:02 PM EDT | Updated Dec 6, 2017. Magic Johnson's wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly, is a businesswoman and philanthropist. We have a good time., The couple also enjoys spending time at their beach house together. I always live now and in the future. 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. "Everything is great," he said. Andre is known for staying out of the public eye. Cause he never said anything to me the entire night, she explained. And that's what we did.". Cookie recounted her exact emotions when Magic told her in a 2016 interview with Good Morning America. 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. It taught me how to work alongside somebody who doesnt look like me, he says. Her mother nicknamed her Cookie based on the character from the show 77 Sunset Strip. He reflected on their marriage again in a 2021 tribute. "I wasn't sick." Magic Johnson remains relatively discreet when it comes to his love life. Who is Magic Johnsons Wife, Earletha Cookie Johnson? Like her brother EJ, Elisa is interested in fashion, and launched her own sunglass line in 2021. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches tall, he made for an impressive point guard. At the time he learned he had the disease, his wife Cookie was pregnant with their first child. We dont have to stay in touch with each other, thats not what we do, he says, describing a friendship forged in unique circumstances. Cookie recalled so many women being there wanting to meet Magic and was frankly surprised Magic picked her. 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. The diagnosis was especially hard for Johnson. 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. Like a date, date. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been married for 31 years since 14th Sep 1991. view relationship. Best Known For: Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade. It was tough, because Cookie was afraid of what might happen, the backlash if we went public.

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