Ebony magazine has tapped Magic & Cookie Johnson for the cover of their July issue, and the couple gave an exclusive interview covering an array of topics ranging from the recent drama surrounding Donald Sterling, to wealth building. I didn't want to wear anything dark or black because to me, it's what it symbolized. We met in college as freshmen [at Michigan State]. And Im this guy who is completely the opposite. When Did Magic Johnson Get Married. He took me on a real date. I don't know who this is. and Elisa. Johnson, who was vaccinated in public in April to help combat hesitancy over the jab, feels history repeating itself with a sense of personal sadness. Now 29, hes gone on to work in fashion, and starred on the E! 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. He spent 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring due to contracting HIV in 1991. Johnson first learned of his diagnosis after a routine physical ahead of the 1991-92 NBA season. As you can see, Cookie Johnson has done a lot of good in her life. According to Cookie, that was the moment she fell in love with him. He was called back home from a pre-season game in Utah, so that Lakers team physician Dr. Michael . It was partly realising the publics general ignorance about the virus that spurred him into a career of advocacy work. Magic Johnson relationship list. Johnson grew up in the midwestern city of Lansing, the state capital of Michigan. When Magic retired from the NBA, he became a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS prevention. 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 dreamed of the NBA from a young age. 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.. 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. Johnson has since built up a business empire, which includes real estate holdings, Starbucks franchises, movie theaters and shares of professional sports teams. Johnson explored other options after leaving basketball. March 6, 2022 Todd Williamson/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images Magic and Cookie Johnson may have one of the longest-lasting relationships in Hollywood. 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 . However, she advanced her career and has become a force to reckon with. In her interview with Mocha Man Style, Cookie revealed how they maintain their spark. While Cookie thought their first date would be nonchalant, Magic took her to an actual steakhouse. 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. She is an entrepreneur and writer. 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. And so everything is great. The NBA star credits his wife for her unconditional support. The team also included such strong players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Norm Nixon. Earletha Cookie Johnson was born on January 20, 1959, in Alabama. Undeterred, Johnson played in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. Magic and Cookie had been married just over a month when Los Angeles Lakers team doctor Micahel Mellman delivered the devastating news in 1991. "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. We cant be cheering for Boston, those white guys, he recalls them saying. She had a degree in retailing of clothing and textiles. Her fathers name is Earl and her mothers name is Cora. In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. Johnson has never watched a recording of that press conference. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! Magic Johnson Parents. Both of them were set to go home for Christmas break the next day. I just knew that this is what made him happy. The One Thing That Almost Cost Magic Johnson His Marriage. How long have Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson been Married. "You're sitting there like, 'Man, how could this happen to me?' I was about to say something back, and my father grabbed me. On 7 November 1991, a press conference in Inglewood, California, brought America to a standstill. went on to become a reality star of Es Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and his own spinoff show, EJNYC, which premiered this summer. He wore a white tux and she a white gown and large tiara. It was right in front of our faces, you couldnt miss it, Johnson says, laughing. Who is Magic Johnsons Wife, Earletha Cookie Johnson? His wife has also recently learned she was. On September 14, 2021, Magic Johnson and Cookie Johnson celebrated their 30-year wedding anniversary. He did well in his first season (1979-80) with the team, averaging 18 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. Venice is absolutely beautiful and we enjoyed touring the city by water taxi! And Johnsons unique talent (it was while he was at high school that a local newspaper reporter coined his nickname), eventually brought the team a state championship in his final year. The announcement, 20 years ago today, came as a shock: "Because of the HIV virus I have obtained, I will have to retire today from the Lakers," Earvin "Magic" Johnson, with his wife Cookie . I mean, I fell to my knees," she told "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts. Help us understand, you know, "Look Earvin, you're gonna have to take a lot of meds, but it's about your attitude, your mindset. Magic was one of the most prominent basketball players in NBA history. After an agonizing wait, the couple soon got some wonderful news. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. She has two siblings - an older sister Pat and a younger brother Harold Earl. (modern). I understand.' I thank God every day for you and for bringing you into my life! And it just wasn't his thing. she said. And that trumped everything.". Best Known For: Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade. [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. When Johnson first heard the news, he was "devastated," he said. Its just its not America.. Cookie recounted her exact emotions when Magic told her in a 2016 interview with Good Morning America. Astrological Sign: Leo. He believed he contracted the disease through unprotected sexual activity. It was nothing but a strong sense of trust and commitment that kept them from calling it quits on their relationship. This time, however, L.A. was defeated by Philadelphia, losing four consecutive games to the 76ers and winning none during the series. Thirty years on, he discusses his relationship with Anthony Fauci, the meaning of money and why hes still optimistic. Aside from being a best-selling author, Cookie is also a businesswoman. 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. Cookie Johnson and Magic Johnson got married in 1991 in Lansing, Michigan, just 45 days before Magic was diagnosed with HIV. One of the only clubs on the campus. It was because of her upbringing that she developed an interest in helping others. "It wasn't how he got it that was important to me. 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. Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade. His most virulent experiences with racism during childhood, however, came on trips down south to visit his grandparents in Mississippi. And they didn't have to worry about trying to test the baby because, really, I mean, he hadn't really formed yet, actually. Im not a go-back person. "Because she had waited for me, been patient with me, supported me -- and now I'm about to break her heart. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. I felt bad for him. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}10 Things You Might Not Know About Jimmy Butler, Nat Sweetwater Cliftons First NBA Season, The True Story of the Michael Jordan Film Air, Michael Jordans Two Requests for The Movie Air, What Sonny Vaccaro Did After Nike Air Jordan Deal, Get to Know NCAA Tournament Star Caitlin Clark. She has always been a woman of charitable interests. Without those two, he says. She said, I couldnt find jeans to fit my body type. 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. She also successfully launched CJ by Cookie Johnson denim line catered towards women who desire fashionable clothing options available beyond size zero standards often seen within mainstream brands; empowering these same demographics financially through employment opportunities via production facilities located domestically provides economic growth potentiality serving could-be overlooked audiences. 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, 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 was instrumental in creating a program called BREATHE, which works to prevent asthma in young children. 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. I've been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure. We have a long way to go. However, she was upset when he told her he'd understand if she wanted. There were mixed reviews about his comeback, with several players uncomfortable with the idea of playing alongside an HIV-positive athlete. 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. "'You know, the man I married was a hard worker. When EJ was on the show, Magic told TMZ that he was very happy for his son to be featured. 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. "I wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay, the baby was going to be okay, and then I can move forward with making sure I was going to be okay," the former Lakers president said. "I didn't know," Johnson says. Weve lost too many lives that we shouldnt have lost with both Aids and Covid-19 Johnson. In 1992, he wrote the educational guide What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS. After selling his stake in the Lakers in 2010, Johnson joined an ownership group that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team in 2012. "It scared me to death. There was, of course, his wife, Cookie - the love of his life, whom he had met at college and had recently married. It was so funny because every girl on campus wanted to meet him, Cookie recalls of their first encounter. Johnson at an international symposium on HIV and Aids in Tokyo in 1993. Just as Black Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV and Aids, so has Covid-19 killed at a racially disproportionate rate. The wedding was a long time in the making. And what does this mean, of course. Cookie Johnson, Magics Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. This is just the start though. We always went to the movies once a week, she said. Magic and Cookie married in LA in September 1991. "In those days, you had to wait almost 10 days to get your results back, so that was agonizing. He was so full of life. That's a huge milestone for any couple, but especially when one of the involved parties. Magic Johnson's diagnosis in 1991 only inspired him to achieve greater heights professionally. 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. "I told Cookie, I said, 'You know what? (@elisajohnson) on May 28, 2016 at 3:13pm PDT, EJ was a star on the reality TV show, Rich Kids of Beverly Hills.. So we had a lot of conversations and a lot of long walks.". According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cookie has a net worth of $50 million. The couple recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and have raised three children together, Andre, E.J. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Weve been through everything together, Cookie later said of she and Magics relationship, per Essence. From selling jeans to giving numerous speeches to underprivileged people, Cookie Johnson is much more than just a terrific wife. Like her brother EJ, Elisa is interested in fashion, and launched her own sunglass line in 2021. He also became part-owner of the minor league Dayton Dragons and the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. So they thought you couldn't touch people, you couldn't hug people," she said. The couple have two children together, Earvin Johnson III(EJ) and Elisa Johnson. The 63-year-old American basketball player is married to Cookie Johnson. Leaving college after two years, Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979. 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. The wedding ceremony was two months before Magic announced to the world that he was infected with. When did Magic Johnson and Cookie Kelly get married? The couple has been married for 25 years and have three children together. 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. Johnsons father didnt fly, so the family would drive 900 miles (1,450km) on a two-day trip. Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly, 63, was born in Huntsville, Alabama. The following season (1982-1983) saw the third Finals match-up between the Lakers and the 76ers in four years. 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. "God blessed us when the test results came back on her and the baby that she didn't have HIV and the baby didn't either," Johnson says. NBC April 15, 2022 at 12:04 AM Magic Johnson is glad he and wife Cookie got married when they did! Much of his efforts have focused on developing urban areas, bringing Starbucks coffee franchises and movie theaters into underserved communities. With the first pick in the 1979 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Magic, bringing him to Los Angeles. Everything Ive done in my lifetime after that involved whites. Its certainly not the America that Magic Johnson came to embody during his heyday with the LA Lakers throughout the 80s. In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. "And [Glaser] said, 'One thing I want you to do and that's be the face of it.' "And that just broke her heart. Magic became a father in 1981 when his then-girlfriend, Melissa Mitchell, gave birth to a baby boy. She has been a key part in reducing the number of infections of the virus in the African-American community by further educating women about the disease and further testing thats available. Were finally starting to understand that. 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. 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. Plus other revelations from Cookie Johnson's new memoir, Believing in Magic. A post shared by Cookie Johnson (@thecookiej) on Feb 19, 2017 at 5:38pm PST. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. And he was like, "Love your child." EJ is openly gay and Elisa was adopted in 1995. That hurt me." She educated parents and caregivers on the importance of immunizing children in urban areas against various viruses. He taught him the art of aggressive, fast-paced basketball, and how to read the game. In. 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. 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. The state-mandated integration of education brought its own tensions: playground fights and bullying. "The doctor tells you and you just laid on the floor. "I've played against some of the best basketball players in the world, right? 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. They told me that the three-drug combination was going to save my life, and they were right.. While their early days werent the easiest, the couple has stuck it out together and continues to be advocates against HIV/AIDS. According to Cookie, Magics ego reached outsized proportions in 2001 after his name was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There are so many misconceptions out there, and because of that, it has caused so much discrimination. ", We know that religion says no and I did have a big problem with that and I prayed about it a lot, Cookie said. Cookie Johnson and Magic Johnson got married in 1991 in Lansing, Michigan, just 45 days before Magic was diagnosed with HIV. She wrote her booka few years back, which discusses her choice to stay by her husbands side during his HIV diagnosis instead of leaving. "And they say, 'Hey, we ran the tests a couple of times, and yes, you do have HIV.' All Rights Reserved. In 1991, he announced that he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. He dreamed of the NBA from a young age. 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.