Having Battled With HIV, Magic Johnson Celebrates Alonzo Mourning’s Life-Saving Surgery

Alonzo Mourning is cancer free! The Hall-of-Famer underwent surgery after a diagnosis of stage 3 prostate cancer in March 2024. He’s celebrating the renewed lease on life urging others to take charge of their health too. Someone who has been a pioneer in health advocacy is overjoyed for him. Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who turned his HIV diagnosis into an inspiring campaign to overcome health setbacks, is ecstatic for his dear friend. Pushing aside his finals predictions for the moment, he expressed his happiness for Mourning on X.

“Congratulations to my man and Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning on a successful prostate surgery to officially become cancer-free!” Magic wrote on X with an apt bionic arm emoji.

Mourning shared the news via ESPN hoping other men would get checked. “There are 3.3 million men living in the U.S. with prostate cancer and many don’t even know it. I was one of those guys,” he said after getting the procedure to remove the prostate in mid-March. Tests since then have concluded that the cancer did not spread beyond the prostate capsule.

The NBA champion asserted that routine prostate exams led to early detection and treatment. His recovery made him determined to advocate for early screenings and detection.

Statistics paint a grim picture as prostate cancer kills 1 in 44 men in the US according to the American Cancer Society. Mourning has beat the odds and shown this can be overcome the way Magic Johnson changed the perception around HIV.

NBA legends give a positive outlook

Magic Johnson shocked the world by retiring in his prime in 1991 after revealing his HIV diagnosis. He did play basketball a few times and a good number of NBA players had a part in removing the stigma surrounding the disease. Magic himself has been an inspiring icon proving that being HIV positive is not the death sentence people have made it out to be.

In April, he too revealed he gets timely checks and relies on modern medicine. And every time the doctor gives him a good prognosis, he says, “I know I’m good.” He still maintains his physical fitness even after retiring as a professional athlete. His wife, Cookie, also constantly assures him he’s doing his part by living and thriving.

Magic and Zo are prime examples of taking charge of our health and staying optimistic. Like Johnson, Mourning also had his partner, Mariona’s support and kept up his work at Miami Heat’s front office without pause. He claims that the reality would’ve been a lot worse if he wasn’t already getting regular screenings. And he hopes people will take a lesson from him and get checked regularly too.