That night, however, Magic did not appear to give a new lesson on the boards of the Forum. Johnson claimed the attention of the spotlight for communicating the worst possible messages. That no one wanted to hear. The basis of the Lakers, one of the icons in the NBA and one of the biggest stars of the sport, reported that he was the bearer of human immunodeficiency virus, HIV . There, in front of the microphone, wearing a dark suit Magic, his face serious but without decomposing, announced that basketball lost its smile. A torpedo in the water line of a sport that he had floated with his passes unimaginable, but above all, with his charisma.
Magic heard the news two weeks ago. And all for a fucking chance. The player was about to play his thirteenth season with the Lakers. It was his icon, its flag. However, their status was not reflected in their salary. Johnson earned $ 2.5 million , while teammate Sam Perkins reached the three million, being the highest paid laker. Both Jerry Buss and Jerry West wanted to change this situation and got down to work to raise the salary of its star.
The Lakers improved their contract and put him level with Perkins. This had to borrow money and had to sign an insurance that would cover the loan. The endorsement was the very best Magic. As usual, the insurance company required that the player is given a medical examination to give the nod to the operation. Routine. However, the policy was never signed.
A DAMN CHANCE
Magic was in Utah to play an exhibition game against the Jazz. He had trained normally and had already recovered the accumulated fatigue after traveling to Paris to compete in the Open McDonalds. After finishing the session with his colleagues, Johnson returned to the room and got the call from the club to return immediately to Los Angeles. Something bad happened. Magic returned to California to hear from the hands of the medical insurance company the worst news imaginable. He was HIV positive.
At first, ignorance made him fear the worst. Had AIDS, a deadly disease that annually claim millions of victims around the world. However, the doctors explained that he was HIV positive, which was not the same as having AIDS. Magic sighed with relief. However, once the panic turned to walk your body when Cookie thought, his girlfriend of 14 years and the woman he had married just two months earlier, and the son who both had hoped. "I played against the best of the best, like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. And I always thought it was the hardest of my life. But be traveling home to tell my wife Cookie I had HIV, that was really the hardest time " , recognized years Los Angeles-based then great.
Magic not only had to give the blow to his wife. Also, with this news, had to acknowledge his numerous infidelities and his promiscuity . Johnson feared the worst and even told his wife that if she wanted he would go home. Nothing is further from the truth. Cookie Johnson consoled him and told him he would always be by your side to help and support, and recognize Magic weeks after your ad in the program of his great friend, Arsenio Hall.
The unconditional support of his wife gave new impetus to Magic. Over the next two weeks he investigated Magic which meant their disease and repeat testing to confirm the diagnosis. Meanwhile, training in isolation was to stay in shape for a new season. However, all counter-analysis yielded the same result. That's when the Lakers doctors advised him to withdraw from active basketball since his illness, the high rate of competition could weaken the immune system too. "Had I known what I know today I would not have retired. But did not know. No one knew. So I could only apechugar with what happened " , Magic confessed years later.
After two weeks training with his classmates and play any game, the Magic and rumors about his health began to skyrocket. Some spoke of cancer, other coronary heart disease. Something strange was happening. Therefore, the Lakers soon to step out of the rumors and called a press conference for the afternoon of November 7, 1991.
Only seven people knew the news before that day. His wife Cookie, his son Andre (the result of a previous adventure), David Stern, his friend Arsenio Hall and his great Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. Magic confessed after the Celtics forward could not hold back the tears and the base of the Pistons directly denied the possibility that the news was true. Jordan , meanwhile, could not speak.
CAME THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
It was time to tell their peers. Hours before the press conference Magic went into the locker room and tell their classmates the news. All broke to mourn. It was the most emotional moment of all that process, he recalls the former player for the Lakers. After wiping the tears, she had to face the world.
Magic Johnson, an elite athlete was a carrier of a disease which, at that time was related to drugs and homosexuality. 's promiscuity and carelessness of the sky had fallen to one of its biggest stars and had become a ordinary mortal. The news that Magic normalized carrying HIV disease. If he had it, anyone could.
Since then, Magic was dedicated to raising funds to support research and the fight against the disease. He put on his boots to compete in the All Star 92 (MVP), the Barcelona Olympics with the Dream Team and 32 more games with Lakers in 1996. But his goal was not impossible or pass the winning basket. His new goal was to fight a disease that, as demonstrated, can be overcome.
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