In 1991, Magic Johnson was diagnosed with HIV. His wife, Cookie Johnson, recalled how devastated she was to hear the diagnosis.
The LA Lakers have had many great players in their ranks. Perhaps one of the greatest to tie them to the Lakers was Magic Johnson.
Johnson was the face of the Lakers franchise during the ’80s. He helped the team win five championships and won many other awards along the way.
However, Magic’s career was cut short in 1991 when he was diagnosed with HIV. As such, he was forced to retire from the NBA to combat the disease.
When Magic Johnson announced that he had HIV at age 32, statistics showed that he had a 50% chance of living 10 years.
Today he turns 62 years old. pic.twitter.com/GD6UU3Nwfn
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 14, 2021
Also read: “They used to call me “Magic Jordan!”: Michael Jordan talks about his $11,000 car dedicated to Magic Johnson
It was a difficult time for Magic and his family. In fact, his wife Cookie recently recalled his reaction to hearing the devastating news.
Cookie Johnson fell to her knees after learning that Magic Johnson had been diagnosed with HIV
1991 was a difficult year for the Johnson family. It was the year Earvin Magic Johnson was diagnosed with HIV.
At the time, little or nothing was known about the disease. So much so that he has to retire from the sport of basketball.
The news was so devastating that his wife, Cookie Johnson, feared for her husband. She recalled on Good Morning America how she got down on one knee with her husband and she started crying!
“It scared me to death. I mean, I fell to my knees. We both fell to our knees and started crying.”
It must have been a struggle dealing with the stigma and backlash at the time. Fortunately, the two managed to get through it together.
Also read: Dwight Howard, who was considered the next Shaquille O’Neal, was rejected by Magic Johnson in high school
