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. "This woman here, God let me know why I married her, why he brought us together, Cookie told Roberts. 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. Who Is NCAA Tournament Star Brandon Miller? Relationships. He also has a son, Andre Johnson, from a previous relationship. In the above clip from "Oprah's Next Chapter," Johnson remembers that fateful day. Along with Michael Jordan and Bird, he was part of the American "Dream Team" that won the gold medal. Best Known For: Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade. 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. "I don't know what would have happened if I'd have got that news that she had HIV as well. No. She is an entrepreneur and writer. Today, he remains one of the most famous people in the world living with the virus. EJ is openly gay and Elisa was adopted in 1995. Cookie and Magic got married in September 1991, with a small wedding in Lansing, Michigan. Lansing, like most large cities in the midwest, was de facto segregated. When Magic Johnson revealed his HIV diagnosis to his new wife, Cookie Johnson, in 1991, she didn't turn and run away. I dont know where they livemaybe under a rock. The Magic Johnson Foundation was formed in 1991 to address the educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities. Theyve continued the tradition long into their marriage, making time for a date each Friday night. It frustrated me to try on every pair in the store and leave with nothing.. Astrological Sign: Leo. Instead, they went to a steak house. ", When Johnson walked through the front door, he says Cookie knew something was wrong. Johnsons father didnt fly, so the family would drive 900 miles (1,450km) on a two-day trip. He dreamed of the NBA from a young age. That same year, he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. High times as guard for Michigan State, Johnson cuts down the net after winning a championship game in Salt Lake City in 1979. 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. Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson have been married for 31 years since 14th Sep 1991. view relationship. Like Magic, Cookie attended and graduated from Michigan State University. However, she was upset when he told her he'd understand if she wanted. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. He believed he contracted the disease through unprotected sexual activity. 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. Magic Johnson's wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly, is a businesswoman and philanthropist. She had a degree in retailing of clothing and textiles. Ultimately, I just prayed to God and said, "God you revealed to me how you feel about this." reality series Rich Kids of Beverly Hills as well as his own spinoff EJNYC in the 2010s. 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. Cause he never said anything to me the entire night, she explained. 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 so I just lost it right there, you know?". "I ended it the way I wanted it to end.". Magic Johnson's rivalry with fellow basketball legend Larry Bird began when the two attended college and lasted throughout their time in the NBA. Part of HuffPost News. Magic and Cookie married in LA in September 1991. But Cookie came home one day and said something that "changed my life," Johnson said. Cookie had been pregnant when Magic broke the news to her, but both have since been given the all clear on a potential diagnoses. The soul comes from her [Cookie]. But he still longed for the game of basketball, and his first retirement would not last long. And what I would find out later is that is the way America is. Magic Johnson's Wife + Relationships, Exes & Rumors (2023) - Dating Rumor Cookie was previously a college basketball player and later became a successful. In this post, were taking a look at Magic Johnsons wife, Cookie Johnson. 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. The couple have two children together, Earvin Johnson III(EJ) and Elisa Johnson. Are we where were supposed to be? Magic Johnson Says He Hated Telling His Wife Cookie About - People Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. '", "You were on the floor yourself, I heard, for two hours," Oprah says. That was the beginning of when I fell in love with him.. 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. Cookie and Magic got married in September 1991, with a small wedding in Lansing, Michigan. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. Cookie serves on the organizations board of directors. We always went to the movies once a week, she said. I don't know who this is. Cookie Johnson is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and clothing designer. Who is Magic Johnson dating? Magic Johnson girlfriend, wife 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. 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.. Now 29, hes gone on to work in fashion, and starred on the E! Now 61, he is one of those rare public figures who has redefined his purpose at different stages in life: first as an athlete, then as a public health advocate, and later as a successful businessman and philanthropist. Magic & Cookie Johnson's Relationship Timeline Spans Over 40 Years - Bustle "I've played against some of the best basketball players in the world, right? confirmed that the reality star had gone under the knife in August 2014 after hinting. Initially opposed to the idea, Johnson reflects on it now as one of the most important experiences of his life. The couple wed on Sept. 14, 1991, just 45 days before Magic revealed his diagnosis to his wife. "The doctor tells you and you just laid on the floor. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The couple have worked together to promote awareness of the disease, they told Haute Living. She has two siblings - an older sister Pat and a younger brother Harold Earl. The diagnosis was especially hard for Johnson. There was, of course, his wife, Cookie the love of his life, whom he had met at college and had recently married. Magic Johnson news, gossip, photos of Magic Johnson, biography, Magic Johnson girlfriend list 2023. 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. Today, the Lakers star is a loving father and grandfather, a successful businessman, a philanthropist and the CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. There were mixed reviews about his comeback, with several players uncomfortable with the idea of playing alongside an HIV-positive athlete. When Magic informed Cookie that he had likely contracted the disease via sexual contact, she was more concerned about his well-being. Magics departure from the NBA remains one of the most shocking moments in sports history. Johnson has since built up a business empire, which includes real estate holdings, Starbucks franchises, movie theaters and shares of professional sports teams. The Lakers, however, took down the Celtics the following year in the Finals. We see each other at events. ", "I was just devastated because I thought I had did everything right," Johnson says. 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 newlyweds had also just found out she was pregnant with their first child, E.J., now 24. Among them was the 1979 NBA Draft first overall pick, Irvin "Magic" Johnson. Denim was always a huge passion of hers growing up so this is truly a dream come true. Both of his parents workedhis father for the General Motors plant in town and his mother as a school custodian. It was nothing but a strong sense of trust and commitment that kept them from calling it quits on their relationship. As a boy, he practised basketball relentlessly, encouraged by his father, who worked grinding shifts at a local General Motors plant. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. When did Magic Johnson and Cookie Kelly get married? "It wasn't how he got it that was important to me. Everybody who was somebody during the 80s had to be at the Forum for a Lakers game, because it was the place to be, he says. The team also included such strong players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Norm Nixon. Back at home, the news tested the strength of their marriage. The couple celebrated 25 years of marriage in Italy in September 2016 with a big party and trip to Europe. He finally retired for good that same year, leaving behind an impressive legacy. E.J. NBC April 15, 2022 at 12:04 AM Magic Johnson is glad he and wife Cookie got married when they did! In the years following Magics diagnosis, he and Cookie have remained active in combating HIV and AIDS. For the second time in his pro career, the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers for the championship title. He and Cookie have been together throughout this time, and neither she nor their son, Earvin Johnson III, have HIV. And I lost it. However, their separation only lasted two weeks. It was so funny because every girl on campus wanted to meet him, Cookie recalls of their first encounter. 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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. While Magic testing positive for HIV was devastating, its given Cookie a platform to make a difference. I didn't want to wear anything dark or black because to me, it's what it symbolized. Magic Johnson got married on September 14, 1991, to Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly. On November 7, 1991, basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson stuns the world by announcing his sudden retirement from the Los Angeles Lakers, after testing positive for HIV, the virus that . 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. And while his HIV is still undetectable, he must take his medication everyday. He wanted to own his own NBA franchise and had harboured a desire to make and create wealth from a young age. All rights reserved. Magic Johnson Parents. Celebrity traction Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor at a 20 Years of Aids, 20 Years of Hope event in Santa Monica in 2001. In the year 1991. 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. Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly, 63, was born in Huntsville, Alabama. "And I didn't want people to treat us like we were lepers. Magic Johnson's Kids: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
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