It was 20 years ago that Magic Johnson announced to the world that he had contracted the HIV virus, and I remember the stunned reaction of people all around the world. Not only was this basketball legend retiring, but he was going to be dead soon, and the impact on everyone was pretty intense.
Fast-forward 20 years to today, and you can see Magic Johnson discussing HIV and AIDS on ESPN. He looks extremely healthy, like nothing ever was wrong, and it easy to see him and forget the devastating effect that AIDS has on the entire world. I mean, the guy looks almost exactly like he looked, appears to be in complete remission, and has probably accomplished more in the past 20 years that most people do in their entire lives. He did not let his diagnosis of HIV positive slow him down, and most people seem him as a beacon of hope to the world.
As happy as I am to Magic Johnson alive and doing well, however, I think that his health and appearance might be misleading to a lot of young people and cause them to doubt the true danger of the HIV virus. In fact, I have heard tales of children (and adults) saying the AIDS is no big deal, because Magic Johnson got it and he is just fine.
I think it is important for people to realize that Magic was a prime athlete, had the money for top care, and is a very unique story in the land of those who test positive for HIV. Be happy that he is well, but do not forget that HIV is still a death sentence - some may just have longer than others.
No comments:
Post a Comment