Magic Johnson returns to Lansing for Earvin Johnson Sr. Community Car Show

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Earvin “Magic” Johnson was back in Lansing on Saturday for the Earvin Johnson, Sr. Law Enforcement and Community Car Show honoring the memory of Johnson’s father, who passed away in March of 2023.

The event was held at Union Missionary Baptist Church and proceeds benefitted a pair of law enforcement charities, Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S) and Santa’s First Responders.

Johnson said his father was deeply passionate about three things: the church, cars, and basketball.

By bringing this car show to the church Johnson Sr. attended, Magic felt this was a perfect tribute to his father’s memory.

“He would’ve been crying,” Magic said when asked how his dad would have experienced the car show. “He would’ve been so emotional because this is everything that he loves and to have that many cars, wow! That he could walk around all day and admire? But the main thing is talk to the owners. ‘How did you do it? What engine you got up under there?’ He was into that stuff. ‘How long did it take you to rebuild the engine?’ He’d be asking all those questions, my father for hours would be talking to somebody just about everything they did, the details of their car. That was his love. And so he’d probably be like a kid in a candy store out there!”

Magic said it felt like he was taking pictures for two straight hours on Saturday but added he was happy to do it because it’s always special to be back home.

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