During the 1980s, the NBA was in need of a superstar who would help catapult the rating of the league. Otherwise, there were many who seriously believed that the NBA could have gone bankrupt.
The NBA’s knight in shining armor was none other than Magic Johnson. Magic was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and helped the team win the title in his rookie season. Additionally, Johnson had a certain swagger to his game, which made him an instant fan favorite.
Magic enjoyed a lot of success in his career and helped the Purple and Gold win five NBA Championships. But in 1991, the entire world was shocked when Magic abruptly announced his retirement from the NBA.
The reason for this sudden retirement was that the poster boy of the Lakers had tested positive for the HIV virus. Back in the day, contracting the HIV virus was considered to be an instant death sentence, and the whole league was in mourning.
Magic Johnson Helped People Educate About The HIV Virus
After retiring from the league, Johnson made sure to educate people about the HIV virus and the fact that it didn’t mean the person would die soon after contracting it.
In 1992, the Lakers superstar appeared on a Nickelodeon special to inform American youth that the disease could affect anyone. During the episode, Johnson spoke with a bunch of kids and helped them cope with the disease.
One kid who made many fans’ eyes tear was Hydeia Broadbent, who couldn’t hold back tears when speaking with Magic. Johnson comforted her and pointed out that she and everyone who has the disease are just normal people, and it’s alright to cry.
It was truly a great effort from Magic to educate everyone about the disease, and it certainly helped in paving the way for people to get rid of the death sentence stigma around it.
As for Broadbent, she is now an international HIV/AIDS activist and is working towards improving the lives of many people who went through what she did during her life.
