When asked what it takes to have a successful and long marriage, many couples will say communication, patience, and faith. And for celebrity power couple Earvin “Magic” Johnson and his wife, Cookie, it’s no different. The beautiful couple just celebrated 28 years of marriage.

“Ours is an undying love that is hard to describe but is uniquely ours because God is all in it and I love every minute of it,” Cookie Johnson wrote on Instagram.

Mr. Johnson posted his own heartfelt message as well, revealing he knew he would marry Cookie three months after meeting her.

“I told you and my parents after three months of dating that you were going to be the one I was going to marry.),” he wrote. “And by far, marrying you was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The job you’ve done as a mother, and now a grandmother, has been an honor to witness and I am so proud to call you my wife. I look forward to many more years together. I love you dearly… Happy Anniversary!”

They have their share of rough times and they almost divorced at one point.

“We had our ups and downs. We had a period where we were about to separate,” Cookie told Black Doctor. “There was a point where I was home all the time; he was working. Sometimes you start growing apart a little because he’s seeing new adventurous stuff. He’s out in the world. He’s growing. [But] I’m stagnant.”

Back in 2016, the retired NBA legend-turned-businessman surprised his wife with a beyond lavish yacht party in Monaco to celebrate 25 years of marriage, and to call it spectacular would be an understatement. Magic and Cookie were already in Venice, Italy, celebrating their milestone anniversary, when the former NBA star flew in all of their friends to Monaco without Cookie’s knowledge. Magic, 58, also paid for all of the travel expenses.

Celeb guests included Samuel L. Jackson, Steve Harvey, LL Cool J, Smokey Robinson, Tina Knowles, Biz Markie, Bill Bellamy, Holly Robinson Peete, Cedric the Entertainer, Pat Riley, Sugar Ray Leonard, as well as their significant others.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Boris Kodjoe Reveals Why ‘Family Is Everything’ To Him

But like most couples, all those years of marriage weren’t always the warm and fuzzy. There were some tough times.

“We had our ups and downs. We had a period where we were about to separate,” Cookie revealed. “There was a point where I was home all the time; he was working. Sometimes you start growing apart a little because he’s seeing new adventurous stuff. He’s out in the world. He’s growing. [But] I’m stagnant.”

One of roughest patches the couple endured was, of course when Magic announced in 1991 that he had contracted HIV. The announcement shocked the world with the announcement and sportswriters almost immediately began composing his obituary.

“He came walking in the door and I thought he was going to be on TV,” Mrs. Johnson said. “I knew something was wrong, really wrong. And when my girlfriend left he sat down and said,

Join the conversation and share this story