NBA icon Earvin “Magic”Johnson, 56, showed his support for Charlie Sheen on Twitter.com after the 50-year-old actor announced his HIV status on the “Today” show on Tuesday.
“In @CharlieSheen breaking his silence, I hope he joins me in educating the world about HIV/AIDs,” Magic tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. “I wish @CharlieSheen and his family the best. With the advancement in treatments and medicine he can fight this disease and live a long life.”
Sheen did not respond to Magic on Twitter.com.
In a shocking announcement in 1991, Johnson told the world he was infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
There was no social media on the Internet back then, but word spread quickly about Johnson’s HIV status in the hours before he held the press conference. Johnson retired from the Los Angeles Lakers NBA team shortly after his announcement.
In the early 90s, Johnson began taking antiretroviral drugs that were still in the experimental stage. The drugs suppressed the virus in his blood and kept it from multiplying.
Through Johnson’s efforts, the HIV drug cocktail was soon made available to everyone who was diagnosed with HIV, regardless of their ability to pay.
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