Allison Samuels catches up with Magic Johnson:
For a man who doesn't spend a lot of time on reflection, Johnson seems a bit overwhelmed as he considers the enormity of what he's accomplished: he has shown the world what it means to live—fully—with HIV. "My son Andre, his wife and baby girl were over to the house on Easter," he says, his smile now widening as he recalls the day. "It was such a special moment, to be able to hold and play with my granddaughter and see my son actually become this great husband and father. Man, you don't know—I had to stop myself from tearing up, because who knew? Who really knew?"
I remember gathering in the TNR publisher's office to watch a live TV broadcast of Johnson's announcement of HIV. It was a thunder-bolt. At the time, everything to do with HIV was saturated with tragedy. Every moment of joy was framed by irony and sadness. I remember playing on the floor with my toddler nephew a little while after my own diagnosis and looking at my father's face which seemed defined by grief. The news had altered his face. His features literally fell like a landslide when I told him my bad news. Everyone assumed I wouldn't be around to see my nephew grow up.
He'll be headed to college soon. I get to see him again next month. He was the beagle-handler at my wedding. As my friend Jim McGreevey says, "Life is good!"
The Dish 