Magic Johnson's tribute to wife gets showered with love from Kobe Bryant's ex-teammate Byron Scott, Lisa Leslie & more

Magic Johnson's wife Cookie Johnson celebrated her 66th birthday on Monday, Jan. 20. The wife of the LA Lakers legend has been the biggest supporter in his life, sticking through the worst days of the five-time NBA champion.

The Lakers legend took to his social media to pay his wife the due tribute on her birthday. He posted a montage of the couple through the years.

Magic Johnson posted a long tribute to his wife on Instagram. Calling her a blessing in his life, He included a proverb from the Bible.

"Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife Cookie, my best friend, the mother of our children, and the partner who makes every dream possible," Magic Johnson wrote. "Over 40 years together, and every day I am more grateful for the incredible blessing you are in my life."

"Your love, strength, and wisdom light up our home and our world. Thank you for being the heart of our family and the foundation of our journey together. You are more than I could ever ask for."

“Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” - Proverbs 31:11-12

"Here’s to many more years of growing together and you making the world a better place just by being in it. I love you more than words could ever express!"

Kobe Bryant's ex-teammate and friend Pau Gasol's wife Catherine McDonnell, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie and Johnson's teammate Bryan Scott also wished Cookie Johnson a happy birthday.

"Love you @thecookiej ❤️🎂," McDonnell wrote.

"Happy birthday Cookie 🎂," wrote WNBA legend Nancy Liberman.

"The kindest, sweetest 🎉🎊🎊🎊🎊Cookie!!! Happy Birthday 🎁🎁 Blessings and many more🙏🏾," Lisa Leslie wrote.

"Well said Buck! Happy Birthday Cookie Ann! @thecookiej," wrote Bryan Scott.

Cookie Johnson also reacted to the post.

"I love you endlessly Earvin 🥰💛," she wrote.

[Credit: IG/@magicjohnson]

[Credit: magicjohnson]

Magic Johnson's wife Cookie Johnson opens up about the aftermath of AIDS reveal

The year 1991 brought a nightmare for Magic Johnson. Before the NBA season started, the Lakers team doctor found out that Johsnon had contracted HIV. When Magic was given the news personally at his house, he was devastated, given that there was/is no cure for HIV.

However, Magic Johnson's biggest nightmare was revealing the news to his wife, Cookie Johnson. When he finally did, Cookie was devastated and fell on her knees, crying before her husband.

In 2016, Cookie and Magic Johnson appeared on an episode of Good Morning America and spoke about her first reaction to the news.

"It scared me to death. I mean, I fell to my knees," she told the show host Robin Roberts. "We both fell on our knees and we started crying."

Cookie also said that the only thing that was on her mind was the fact that she was scared to death that her husband was going to die from the disease.

"I didn't have time to get mad about whatever happened, you know, or start asking questions. [My mind] went to 'He is possibly going to die,'" Johnson told Roberts. "There wasn't a lot of knowledge back in 1991."

When Johnson was faced with a potential death, he told his wife to leave him if she wanted. However, the question infuriated Cookie. She convinced Magic that she was going to fight the disease with him and beat it.

"He said, 'If you want to leave, you know, I don't blame you. It's OK. I understand.' Then I said, 'Are you kidding me? No. I love you. I'm gonna stay here and help you live. I'm gonna stay here and we're gonna beat this thing. We're gonna figure out how to beat this thing,'" she recalled.

Almost three and a half decades later, the fight against the deadly disease wasn't just Magic Johson's but also his wife's. She chose her husband over her heart. The act wasn't just selfless but it also gave Magic the heart to fight the disease with the best partner he could have imagined.