“Hardest Thing I’d Ever Do is Play Against Larry Bird and Michael Jordan”: When Magic Johnson Confessed Revealing HIV Diagnosis to Wife Cookie Was Too Difficult

Magic Johnson‘s career had its fair share of ups and downs. He faced some of the greatest NBA players ever, including the likes of Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. In the book ‘When the Game Was Ours‘, co-authored by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers legend revealed how facing the two legends seemed like the hardest thing he would ever do in his life until he was hit with his infamous HIV diagnosis in 1991.

Magic had already won five NBA championships and three regular season MVP awards before the dreaded news hit him. When he realized that he had to share the diagnosis with his wife – Cookie, Magic was at a loss. It was the hardest thing he had ever had to do in his life. In the book, the NBA star detailed his thought process at the time, “When I’m speaking, I tell people, ‘I thought the hardest thing I’d ever do is play against Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.’ They start laughing. Then I say, ‘But the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, by far, was tell my wife I had HIV.’

Thankfully for Johnson, Cookie took the news as well as one could imagine and decided to be his support system in this difficult time. The Lakers legend showered his wife with adulations and admitted, “I don’t know how or why I’ve been blessed with Cookie, but I thank God every day she’s still beside me. The reason I’m still alive is because she stayed. If she left, I wouldn’t still be here.” The NBA Hall-of-Famer was fortunate to have someone show so much affection and take care of him during this difficult time.

No one would have blamed Cookie Johnson if she decided to separate from Magic after the diagnosis. However, she did the unexpected and stayed faithful to her husband. Johnson later detailed how crucial a loyal and dedicated partner was at that time while he was fighting a disease which most people saw as a death sentence.

“When you deal with something of this magnitude, you need your support system. You need someone to say, ‘Hey, did you work out? Did you take your meds? Are you eating right?’ Or, ‘You’ve been working too hard and too long.’ Or, ‘Come here, give me a hug.’ Cookie knows me…I need someone to take care of me. She does that,“ Magic noted.

While Magic had contracted a deadly disease, he was also fortunate enough to have the cure right by him. Magic and Cookie met in college when the future Showtime star was the star point guard for Michigan State. Their relationship suffered many trials and tribulations, mostly prompted by Johnson’s infidelities and inconsistencies. However, Cookie stayed with Magic through thick and thin, forgiving and forgetting all his transgressions.

Magic Johnson’s relationship with his wife

When Magic Johnson entered his house to share the news of HIV with his wife, she already knew that something was terribly wrong. The NBA player broke down in her arms after communicating the news. However, Cookie Johnson turned herself into a pillar of strength and decided to support her husband instead of separating from him. The decision gave the player a new lease on life as he decided to fight the disease.

This gesture by Cookie had Johnson sharing a heartfelt message on Instagram as the couple celebrated their thirty-second marriage anniversary recently. Their marriage had its share of drama as mentioned before. Johnson had gotten engaged to his wife twice and broken it off before finally deciding to marry her. And just eight weeks after they got married, the player’s HIV diagnosis was made public. However, the couple has remained together through thick and thin and are still going strong.