Magic Johnson is a survivor. He had made some of the hardest decisions of his life in 1991 after being diagnosed with HIV. Magic knows what it is like to face the worst of medical news and be left standing with no hope for a future. Having lived through and overcome the challenges, he is now working as a spokesperson for HIV and has fought against the stigma surrounding the disease for decades.

Being one of the most influential basketball players ever, Magic is now using his credibility to shed light on another virus that has been haunting people. During a recent campaign, he opened up about his own life and how he fought  through those tough times.

Magic Johnson shares what helped him during his toughest times

During the campaign for RSV, Magic talked about his life and facing HIV with ABC15. During this, he mentioned his memories of winning championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Following that, he talked about the darkest times in his life.

Magic recalls hearing the news as a death sentence. And at the time, the stigma around it was the same. But then Magic went on to explain how he overcame all the challenges. Among elderly people and people over the age of 65, RSV is reportedly taking the lives of close to 10% of the patients.

Magic knows what it is like to be in fear of not knowing what will happen. Magic said that when he heard in 1991 that he had HIV, to him it felt like a “death sentence“.

He said, “I had a lot of questions for my doctor. How can I be here a long time? He told me I had to take my meds have a positive attitude and continue to work out so all three of those things I was able to do. But also, the support of my family was very important,“

Read More: Having Stuck With Magic Johnson Through HIV Diagnosis, Wife Cookie’s Undying Love Honored Through Heartfelt Note on 32nd Anniversary

These factors helped Magic overcome the hardest time of his life. Since then, he has been working as a spokesperson for HIV. Even Barack Obama recently praised Magic for the work he has done. The only thing that people ever had to be afraid of was his infectious smile.

Magic’s hope with the RSV campaign

The Los Angeles Lakers legend was recently in Arizona to be a spokesperson for ‘Sideline RSV’. RSV stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It’s a respiratory disease that can be fatal to elderly people. Sideline RSV is a health education campaign to spread awareness about the disease and the advances in medical facilities to treat it.

He knows that he is in this world for a purpose, and now he wants to spread awareness and save the people suffering from RSV. Two new vaccines are approved for use on elderly people with RSV. Magic wants people to know of this and save their family members if they are having RSV.

Watch This Story: Hours After Comparing Himself With Michael Jordan and Tom Brady, 34YO NBA Veteran Hailed by Lebron James: ‘The 1 and Only’

What do you think about Magic Johnson’s impact on the world? Let us know in the comments!