Earvin

magic celebrating his win (https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=7bacf12491&view=att&th=130099d9318c1844&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=f_gnw29ut10&zw)

There are many reasons people are considered heroes: what they do in their personal lives that is admirable, overcoming something tragic and inspiring people, or being great at something. There are not many people who can attain all of these in their lifetime but for a man who was born to a school custodian and an assembly worker, it came naturally. At a staggering six foot nine Earvin “Magic” Johnson has become an inspiration and hero to many.

One of the most prominent names in professional basketball is Magic Johnson. He consistently won his way into the hearts of his viewers. Johnson’s career in the National Basketball Association made his a hero in the eyes of NBA viewers all over the world. “He won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers during his twelve years with the Lakers…... he was chosen as playoff MVP three times… he was a twelve-time All-Star…. he averaged 19.7 points per game in 874 games, pulled down 6,376 rebounds, and had 1,698 steals…. in October 1996 he was named one of the fifty greatest players in the history of the NBA (Johnson,Magic),” the results of his time in the NBA were so impressive that it is not hard to understand why posters of him were being hung above bunk beds during the eighties.

magic playing basketball (https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=7bacf12491&view=att&th=130099d9318c1844&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=f_gnw29ut10&zw)

Johnson’s basketball career was not the only reason Johnson made headlines; however. In 1991 Magic Johnson found out that he had HIV, the ramifications of this earth shattering diagnosis were devastating. The public both pitied and judged Magic Johnson when it came out, “Magic Johnson, called a press conference. Most sports insiders knew Johnson was about to retire from the Los Angeles Lakers, but few knew the reason. A stunned America listened as Johnson dropped a bombshell: ‘Because of the HIV virus I have attained, I will have to announce my retirement from the Lakers today.’(Speaking Out)”. But he did not let that hold him back, he fought hard against HIV and was determined to survive, “he continued to take medicine, eat right, and exercise. As recently as September 2002, his doctors said he is free of AIDS symptoms. Doctors credit Johnson's exercise habits and his use of powerful drugs”(Johnson, Magic). With incredible strength in the face of such a terrible diagnosis, he put his effort into getting healthy for his wife, whom he had just married.

Through his basketball career and personal struggles he became a solid member of pop culture. He kept going through the low points and came out the other end to have one child and adopt another. After his fight against HIV he became a huge part in the world fight against AIDS and HIV, “Certainly Magic Johnson was under no obligation to inform America of his HIV status. He didn't have to make those subsequent revelations about the sexual risks he took on the path to contracting HIV (in fact, not a single reporter present at his press conference asked how he contracted the virus). He didn't have to encourage men to ‘get out your hat, your raincoat -- whatever you want to call a condom -- and wear it.’ But he did. Magic Johnson, a celebrity of enormous magnitude, tried to make a difference. ‘We think sometimes it can only happen to gay people, it can't happen to me. And here I am saying it can happen to anyone -- even me, Magic Johnson.’(Speaking Out)”. Johnson took his own hardship and worked to raise awareness and funding to help in the fight against HIV and Aids.

There are many things that can make you hero and in some cases it doesn’t take much, but Magic Johnson is a hero to many and it is for three major reasons. Johnson worked hard and achieved a lot in his successful basketball career, he overcame illness and went on to beat it and raise a family, and he took the major low point of his life and used it to raise awareness to the world. He had a lot of young men idolizing him, “Young people want you to be real with them, (Brainy Quotes). Johnson understood what people wanted from him and he was not afraid to give them that and that instilled a sense of trust and an honest relationship that lead to him being idolized. There were many things made with various pictures of Magic Johnson: posters, cups, shirts, etc. and he deserved his title as a hero.

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"Johnson, Magic." UXL Encyclopedia of World Biography. Ed. Laura B. Tyle. Vol. 6. Detroit:

UXL, 2003. 1020-1023. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 6 May. 2011.

"Magic Johnson Quotes - BrainyQuote." Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote. Web. 13 May 2011.0 ."MJ Enterprises." MagicJohnson.com. Web. 11 May 2011.

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Reed, William F. "Johnson, Magic." World Book Student. World Book, 2011. Web. 6 May 2011.

Salyer, David. "Speaking Out About AIDS Ten People Who Did Not Make a Difference in 2001 -The Body." The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource - The Body. Web. 20 May 201 .