Magic Johnson Tweets Support to Charlie Sheen After Actor Reveals His HIV-Positive Diagnosis

Athlete, who revealed his HIV-positive status in 1991, took to Twitter to share his thoughts on actor's Today interview

By Lily Harrison Nov 17, 2015 11:36 PMTags
Magic Johnson, Charlie SheenGetty Images

Hours after Charlie Sheen announced that he is HIV-positive during a sit-down with Matt Lauer on the Today show, Magic Johnson is lending his support.

"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," the former professional athlete and longtime HIV/AIDs activist said via Twitter.

"In @CharlieSheen breaking his silence, I hope he joins me in educating the world about HIV/AIDs."

During his tell-all interview, the 50-year-old Sheen gave viewers insight into his current health condition and why he chose to tell his story after staying silent about his diagnosis for several years.

"I'm here to admit that I am in fact HIV-positive. I have to put a stop to this onslaught, this barrage of attacks and of sub-truths and very harmful and mercurial stories that are about me, threatening the health of so many others, which couldn't be further from the truth," he said. "I've told enough that I trusted to be in the position and the situation that I'm in today."

Sheen continued, "I have a responsibility now to better myself and to help a lot of other people, and hopefully with what we're doing today, others may come forward sand say, 'Thanks, Charlie. Thanks for kicking the door open.'"

Johnson made headlines back in November 1991 when he announced that he was HIV-positive during a press conference and abruptly retired from the NBA. At the time, the Los Angeles Lakers star—who would return for one more season in 1996—was one of the first professional athletes to speak out about having the disease.

(NBC and E! are both part of the same NBCUniversal family.)