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Michael Jordan recently made a heartwarming gesture that showed he hasn’t forgotten his roots or the people who helped shape his journey. The legendary basketball icon granted a heartfelt wish of his former high school teacher, Ms. Etta, who is currently receiving hospice care in Wilmington, North Carolina—Jordan’s hometown. Her simple wish was to embrace her former student once more.
According to staff at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, Ms. Etta often reminisced about her cherished memories and beloved students from Laney High School, frequently mentioning Jordan’s name. Despite several attempts to reach out to him, it seemed the connection wasn’t happening.
However, perseverance paid off when a LifeCare social worker named Wendy received an unexpected phone call from an unknown number. Handing the phone to Ms. Etta, she was greeted with a voice asking, “Is this Ms. Etta?” It was a moment that brought joy and fulfillment to both the teacher and her renowned student. Jordan’s call demonstrated not only his respect for those who influenced his life but also his enduring connection to his community.
After several unsuccessful attempts to contact Jordan, a LifeCare social worker named Wendy received a phone call from an unknown number and handed Ms. Etta the devce.
“Is this Ms. Etta?” the caller asked.
“They laughed, reminisced, picked at each other, and shared a moment that brought tears to everyone in the room,” the staff at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare told the outlet about the conversation.
Ms. Etta is seen on a couch on FaceTime with Jordan in a clip posted by the local news outlet, with Jordan wearing a simple blue t-shirt and smiling widely.
Her family said that Jordan’s generosity provided “a memory they will carry forever,” the outlet reported.
Jordan has a long-known history from his high school days, when Ms. Etta was his teacher, as he was infamously was cut from the varsity basketball team as a sophomore in high school.
Jordan parlayed that into extra motivation, pulling himself up by the bootstraps and earning a full scholarship offer from the University of North Carolina.
He guided the Tar Heels to a national championship as a freshman alongside James Worthy, hitting the game-winning shot against Georgetown in the title game.
Jordan was drafted No. 3 overall in 1984 by the Chicago Bulls, behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie, and won six championships.