Leaving college after two years, Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979. Its certainly not the America that Magic Johnson came to embody during his heyday with the LA Lakers throughout the 80s. Like her brother EJ, Elisa is interested in fashion, and launched her own sunglass line in 2021. Johnson's decision to go public with his medical condition helped raise awareness about the disease. Magic Johnson Credits Wife with Helping Him Get Through HIV Diagnosis Magic Johnson remains relatively discreet when it comes to his love life. After that, his focus finally began to shift. Elisa has mainly stayed away from the public and maintains a pleasant living. EJ is openly gay and Elisa was adopted in 1995. So we had a lot of conversations and a lot of long walks.". Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been a much-lauded couple for many years, and their story is worth being inspired by. The latter became a media sensation after her relationship with the basketball icon. In the clip below, Cookie opens up about how Magic broke off their wedding twice before they wed in 1991, saying, "I was close to a nervous breakdown, I felt.". "I wore that white suit for a reason. When Magic informed Cookie that he had likely contracted the disease via sexual contact, she was more concerned about his well-being. Johnson explored other options after leaving basketball. went public with his sexual orientation in 2013 and owned his public debut as the news was picked up by entertainment sites. It was referred to as "gay cancer" but that's because so little was understood about the disease. 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. 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. He wanted to own his own NBA franchise and had harboured a desire to make and create wealth from a young age. I was about to say something back, and my father grabbed me. Both of them were set to go home for Christmas break the next day. It was sobering, says Johnson, to see Dr Fauci out front and centre again, during the Covid-19 pandemic. The couple have worked together to promote awareness of the disease, they told Haute Living. Regardless of his marital status, we are rooting for his. Your login session has expired. I dont live in the past, he says. 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 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. 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. He knows what he wants. Cause he never said anything to me the entire night, she explained. (@elisajohnson) on May 28, 2016 at 3:13pm PDT, EJ was a star on the reality TV show, Rich Kids of Beverly Hills.. 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.. 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. Cookie Johnson is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and clothing designer. Cookie Johnson and Magic Johnson got married in 1991 in Lansing, Michigan, just 45 days before Magic was diagnosed with HIV. The couple wed on Sept. 14, 1991, just 45 days before Magic revealed his diagnosis to his wife. "I was a broke college student, and so she had to use her book money so that we could order a pizza and . I thank God every day for you and for bringing you into my life! I often tell people when you make a mistake, you not only hurt yourself, but you hurt the ones that love you. In 1992, the Johnsons welcomed their first child, E.J. And it has interesting parallels for today, when the world continues to battle another public health crisis. 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. Johnson is adamant that she never wavered in supporting her husband. There are so many misconceptions out there, and because of that, it has caused so much discrimination. As a boy, he practised basketball relentlessly, encouraged by his father, who worked grinding shifts at a local General Motors plant. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". It taught me how to work alongside somebody who doesnt look like me, he says. Thirty years on, he discusses his relationship with Anthony Fauci, the meaning of money and why hes still optimistic. In 1991, the 13-season Los Angeles Lakers star married his wife, Cookie, who gave birth to their son EJ Johnson soon after. ", "I was just devastated because I thought I had did everything right," Johnson says. Part of HuffPost News. I went to a club. So they thought you couldn't touch people, you couldn't hug people," she said. The Celtics beat the Lakers in a tight competitionfour games to threefor the 1984 championship. He also became part-owner of the minor league Dayton Dragons and the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. But the toughest part of his diagnosis, he said, was to drive home and tell his wife. We see each other at events. He dreamed of the NBA from a young age. They told me that the three-drug combination was going to save my life, and they were right.. A. Earleatha Johnson was born on January 20th, 1959. 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. When EJ was on the show, Magic told TMZ that he was very happy for his son to be featured. I'm gonna stay here and we're gonna beat this thing. It was so funny because every girl on campus wanted to meet him, Cookie recalls of their first encounter. They have inspired many people through their philanthropy works and entrepreneurship ventures that continue to thrive long after they left the NBA world. "It was, 'You're possibly going to die.' She even released a book called "Believing in Magic" which. 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. Magic Johnson Wife . This was the first of several match-ups between the two teams. I'm only as good as Cookie.. November 4, 2021 / 8:47 AM Magic Johnson - Son, Stats & Wife - Biography I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. On September 14, 2021, Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson celebrated their 30-year wedding anniversary. Magic Johnson Reveals His Marriage Wouldn't Have Lasted 30 Years - MSN The following season (1982-1983) saw the third Finals match-up between the Lakers and the 76ers in four years. Heres what you need to know about Cookie: #OnThisDay in 1991 NBA star Magic Johnson marries Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly. 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. That's a huge milestone for any couple, but especially when one of the involved parties. Wake up to the day's most important news. Cookie joined her husband on stage for his announcement along with a specially selected outfit. When and How Did Magic Johnson Get HIV? - The Cinemaholic When Johnson first heard the news, he was "devastated," he said. They started seeing each other January 1, 1991. At the time of his diagnosis, Johnson thought the virus was a death sentence. You know, he was changing the world. 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. From a large family, Johnson grew up with nine brothers and sisters. How Magic Johnson Told His Wifeand Ex-LoversHe Had HIV. The NBA star and businesswoman, who met in college, have been together on and off for over 40 years and share two children together. 'Cookie' Johnson, Magic's Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know 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. But sport also became a vessel to bring students together. The team also included such strong players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Norm Nixon. On September 14, 1991, Magic Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly at the First AME Church in Los Angeles. Magic Johnson's Wife + Relationships, Exes & Rumors (2023) - Dating Rumor 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. We always went to the movies once a week, she said. 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. Earvin "Magic" Johnson revealed to the world in 1991 that he was HIV positive and retiring from the Los Angeles Lakers. BASKETBALL legend, Magic Johnson has been married to his wife, Cookie, since 1991. Ultimately you want your child to be happy, she said. 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. Magic Johnson's Wife Cookie: How They Met, Married, Kids - Parade "I was scared to death about the baby. All About Susan Benedetto, Serena Williams Shares Her Reaction to Will Smith's Oscars Slap: 'We're All Imperfect', Gayle King Goes from Getting a Colonoscopy to Watching Drake at the Apollo Theater, LeBron James Becomes Second NBA Player in History to Score 38,000 Points as He Closes in on All-Time Record. How many girlfriends did Magic Johnson have? - ElegantQuestion.com "We both fell on our knees, and we started crying," she tells Robin Roberts. He specializes mainly in soccer, basketball, and baseball. They met each other way back in 1977 and hit it off within a few weeks of getting to know each other. Magic was one of the most prominent basketball players in NBA history. I dont know where they livemaybe under a rock. Cookie Johnson, Magics Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. "A cocktail, once a day," he said. "And [Glaser] said, 'One thing I want you to do and that's be the face of it.' And I didn't want people to treat us like we were lepers," she told King. The Truth About Magic Johnson And Cookie Johnson's Marriage Magics departure from the NBA remains one of the most shocking moments in sports history. He finally retired for good that same year, leaving behind an impressive legacy. Cookie was instrumental in creating a program called BREATHE, which works to prevent asthma in young children. As a boy, he practised basketball relentlessly, encouraged by his father, who worked grinding shifts at a local General Motors plant. Magic Johnson's Kids: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know He ended up retiring again before returning to the sport he loved one more time in 1996. However, she advanced her career and has become a force to reckon with. He also appeared on television as a sports commentator. 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. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie has a net worth of $50 million. During the 1993-1994 basketball season, Johnson tried his hand at coaching with the Lakers. How long have Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson been Married. Because of that, she took action and created her own brand. Cookie Johnson Reveals What Led To A Secret 2-Week - HuffPost In the 1984 NBA Finals, Johnson again encountered rival Bird, who had signed with the Boston Celtics. "I didn't know," Johnson says. "I'm asking him 100 times, 'Are you sure?'" 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. ", We know that religion says no and I did have a big problem with that and I prayed about it a lot, Cookie said. And Im this guy who is completely the opposite. https://t.co/ZOn80OKybA pic.twitter.com/VvUpELS7h2, Sports Photos (@sportsphotos) September 14, 2016. He had always expected to go to his local high school on the citys west side with its renowned basketball team. One of the only clubs on the campus. E.J. I want to dance with these people over here, she said. "It wasn't how he got it that was important to me. ", "My doctor had told me that, but it's different hearing it from somebody who's actually going through it," Magic added. The latter was adopted in 1995. E! Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Johnson joined president George W Bushs national Aids commission and then publicly quit after eight months, lambasting the presidents inaction. For the second time in his pro career, the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers for the championship title. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. She is an entrepreneur and writer. Cookie recalled so many women being there wanting to meet Magic and was frankly surprised Magic picked her. Magic Johnson announces he is HIV-positive - History The Magic Johnson Foundation was formed in 1991 to address the educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities. They met at a party in their freshman year at Michigan State in 1977. We had a great time. The Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson story is a testament to love, dedication, and commitment to bettering themselves and their community. Johnson excelled during his freshman year, helping his team clinch the Big Ten Conference title. There were his teammates at the Los Angeles Lakers, who embraced him, and . 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. After college, she worked as a fashion buyer for several department stores before marrying Magic on September 14th, 1991. Magic Johnson's rivalry with fellow basketball legend Larry Bird began when the two attended college and lasted throughout their time in the NBA. "It was like, 'Who is he calling? Earletha Cookie Johnson was born on January 20, 1959, in Alabama. The state-mandated integration of education brought its own tensions: playground fights and bullying. Johnson was born Earvin Johnson Jr. on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan. Cowboys O-Line Target Steve Avila of TCU Drafted by Rams A post shared by Cookie Johnson (@thecookiej) on Feb 19, 2017 at 5:38pm PST. Cookie Johnson shares the story from her perspective in her new memoir, "Believing in Magic. Magic Johnson opens up on living with HIV 30 years after his diagnosis We had a wonderful conversation. Fortunately, both his wife and their son, Earvin III, tested negative for HIV. Maybe I should look at playing one more time," Johnson said, noting that he wanted to "end it the right way. Cookie Johnson is 64 years of age. Who is Magic Johnsons Wife, Earletha Cookie Johnson? 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The couple got married in September 1991, in a small private wedding in Lansing, Michigan. After an agonizing wait, the couple soon got some wonderful news. reality series Rich Kids of Beverly Hills as well as his own spinoff EJNYC in the 2010s. 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 just knew that this is what made him happy. 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 would have been just devastating to me.". How Did Magic Johnson Get Hiv? - celebritiesobserver.com On September 14, 1991, Magic Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly at the First AME Church in Los Angeles. At the time, Magic was in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the doctor didn't want to talk about it over the phone. While theyve now been married for 30 years, Cookie has built an entire career on her own as well. You need to get up and figure that out.'". EJ is a television celebrity, while Elisa has also made appearances on the big screen. 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. 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. At the "They Call Me Magic" premiere, the NBA legend told Access Hollywood about how he. He was so full of life. Cookie is the first spokeswoman for the I Stand With Magic campaign with Magic Johnson where they continue to fight against HIV/AIDS. 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. 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? The Lakers, however, took down the Celtics the following year in the Finals. It's OK. That kind of got to me, because it had been boiling, boiling, boiling, boiling anyway. No. confirmed that the reality star had gone under the knife in August 2014 after hinting. She has always been a woman of charitable interests. "I had to really learn a lot about the disease, HIV as well as AIDS. [My mind] went to 'He is possibly going to die,'" Johnson told Roberts. ", In a 2021 interview with Gayle King on CBS, he explained how his decision and diagnosis weighed on his relationship with Cookie. Magic Johnson relationship list. During his 1991 press conference Johnson also made clear that his aspirations in business meant he simply had to go on living. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying.". I'm not going to sit here and say that I understood that he was gay at that time, because I didn't. press conference in Inglewood, California, Johnson, National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar, outwardly shunned the countrys foremost infectious disease expert, killed at a racially disproportionate rate, Johnson, who was vaccinated in public in April, protesting against Covid-19 lockdown laws, to use the city as a base to further his business interests. Cookie and I are in Venice, Italy celebrating our 25th Anniversary! 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. Earlitha Cookie Kelly and Earvin Magic Johnson (Getty). 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.. 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. There was, of course, his wife, Cookie the love of his life, whom he had met at college and had recently married. How Magic Johnson Told His Wifeand Ex-LoversHe Had HIV And so I just lost it right there, you know?". Among them was the 1979 NBA Draft first overall pick, Irvin "Magic" Johnson. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "Because she had waited for me, been patient with me, supported me -- and now I'm about to break her heart. But Cookie came home one day and said something that "changed my life," Johnson said. How long has Magic Johnson been married? ", "And that's why I came back," he said. 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. He and Cookie have been together throughout this time, and neither she nor their son, Earvin Johnson III, have HIV. He spent 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring due to contracting HIV in 1991. Cookie Johnson shares the story from her perspective in her new memoir, "Believing in Magic." Aged 15, and with his talent being noticed locally, Johnson faced one of the first big crossroads in his life. He would sit on the couch and watch the Lakers play, thinking, "I should be there," he recalls. She has since become known for her philanthropic work within various organizations. 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's very intelligent, and his mindset is like his dad's. 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.