In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. The Success Of Magic Johnson - Highschool Cube Cookie was also pregnant at the time, which certainly scared her. With the first pick in the 1979 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Magic, bringing him to Los Angeles. The couple live in Beverly Hills with their family. But, as he remembers the period shortly after the diagnosis, he thinks of those he relied on. 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.. 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. Magic Johnson Who Tried to Call Off Wedding to Cookie 3 Times It was like we were old friends, she continued. However, she advanced her career and has become a force to reckon with. By far, marrying you was one of the best decisions Ive ever made.. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. When had he found out? Like a date, date. He was so full of life. The Lakers, however, took down the Celtics the following year in the Finals. Magic Johnson's wife: Cookie Johnson - ClutchPoints Cookie Johnsons Profession and Charitable Interests. And that's what we did.". 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. Johnson and Cookie have one son, . "I ended it the way I wanted it to end.". Im not a go-back person. She stands at 5 foot 6 inches. 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. ", During the ride home, Johnson says he thought about how he would break the devastating news to her. 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. I want to dance with these people over here, she said. 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. As we talk today, right now, Im thinking, Wow its been 30 years and Im still here, healthy. Back at home, the news tested the strength of their marriage. Upon his return, Magic was told that he tested positive for HIV. During his 1991 press conference Johnson also made clear that his aspirations in business meant he simply had to go on living. He wanted to own his own NBA franchise and had harboured a desire to make and create wealth from a young age. But there was no greater pressure than driving home to tell her." 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. Cookie was previously a college basketball player and later became a successful. 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. When Magic Johnson revealed his HIV diagnosis to his new wife, Cookie Johnson, in 1991, she didn't turn and run away. Jun 10, 2014, 02:02 PM EDT | Updated Dec 6, 2017. The Truth About Magic Johnson And Cookie Johnson's Marriage When Magic retired from the NBA, he became a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS prevention. That was the beginning of when I fell in love with him.. After receiving the diagnosis that he was HIV positive, Magic announced in a press conference that he was leaving basketball in order to dedicate his life to "battl[ing] this deadly disease. 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. While theyve now been married for 30 years, Cookie has built an entire career on her own as well. When Magic informed Cookie that he had likely contracted the disease via sexual contact, she was more concerned about his well-being. He created Magic Johnson Enterprises, which has a variety of holdings. His father would send his children in groups of three to use the bathroom at truck stops to watch each others backs. 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. Magic Johnson is rumoured to have hooked up with Kathleen Sullivan . And that hurt me. reality series Rich Kids of Beverly Hills as well as his own spinoff EJNYC in the 2010s. Johnson attended New York University, studying hospitality with a focus on event planning and design. But he still longed for the game of basketball, and his first retirement would not last long. 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. I had to come to realize that this is who he is, and he's going to be happy. Who is Magic Johnson's wife, Cookie Johnson? All you need to know! 2 Magic Johnson and wife, Cookie, have been married since 1991 Who is Magic Johnson's wife Cookie? ", Cookie eventually went to the news conference wearing a white suit that she said symbolized "brightness" and "a future.". Magic and Cookie had been married just over a month when Los Angeles Lakers team doctor Micahel Mellman delivered the devastating news in 1991. He said, Yes, I will. I gave him the number and literally the day I set foot back on campus he called me., In the same interview, Cookie recounted her first date with Magic. And so everything is great. went public with his sexual orientation in 2013 and owned his public debut as the news was picked up by entertainment sites. 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. Cause he never said anything to me the entire night, she explained. Had he grappled with his own mortality? Johnson excelled during his freshman year, helping his team clinch the Big Ten Conference title. Lansing, like most large cities in the midwest, was de facto segregated. Johnson says he was sitting in a hotel in Utah, getting ready for an exhibition game when he got the call. 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. A. Earleatha Johnson was born on January 20th, 1959. Cookie Johnson: 'I Fell to My Knees' When Magic Revealed His HIV The wedding ceremony was attended by many famous personalities including other NBA superstars such as Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. He did well in his first season (1979-80) with the team, averaging 18 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. In 1991, 32-year-old Magic Johnson was at the top of his game, about to start his 13th season in the NBA. he told "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King. "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.". He then bought a small share of the team. Earlitha Cookie Kelly and Earvin Magic Johnson (Getty). I don't know who this is. ", First published on November 4, 2021 / 8:47 AM. Am I gonna die?'" No. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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. Thats what made Showtime.. Earletha Cookie Johnson was born on January 20, 1959, in Alabama. There were his teammates at the Los Angeles Lakers, who embraced him, and . Trump asks for mistrial in E. 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Zooey Zephyr disciplined by GOP-controlled state House, GOP lawmakers seek "disciplinary consequences" for Montana transgender lawmaker. It was because of her upbringing that she developed an interest in helping others. The wedding ceremony was two months before Magic announced to the world that he was infected with HIV. Cookie is the first spokeswoman for the I Stand With Magic campaign with Magic Johnson where they continue to fight against HIV/AIDS. Cookie serves on the organizations board of directors. He was called back home from a pre-season game in Utah, so that Lakers team physician Dr. Michael . 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. 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 joined president George W Bushs national Aids commission and then publicly quit after eight months, lambasting the presidents inaction. On September 14, 1991, Magic Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly at the First AME Church in Los Angeles. Even today, as were talking about it right now, I still cant believe all the events that happened within a year. Together, Magic and Cookie have been blessed with two children Earvin III (also known as EJ) who was born on June 4, 1992, and Elisa who was born on December 21, 1995. Wake up to the day's most important news. Magic Johnson dominated the court as one of professional basketball's best players for 13 years. "There wasn't a lot of knowledge back in 1991.". Johnson was born Earvin Johnson Jr. on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan. 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. The NBA star and businesswoman, who met in college, have been together on and off for over 40 years and share two children together. "'You know, the man I married was a hard worker. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. That real talk proved effective. She has always been a woman of charitable interests. I mean, I fell to my knees," she told "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts. Johnson formally returned to the Lakers in early 2017 as president of basketball operations. 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. "That was a difficult day.". Johnson is adamant that she never wavered in supporting her husband. He taught him the art of aggressive, fast-paced basketball, and how to read the game. Racial dynamics also played a part in the way some viewed their opposition (Bird is white). Magic Johnson dominated the court as one of professional basketball's best players for 13 years. Everything Ive done in my lifetime after that involved whites.
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