Blackberry Moments
Ernie Johnson, Jr’s. life of unexpected blessings
Sometimes, it is the surprisingly sweet, unpredictable moments that make our lives so great, and we find our “blackberry moments” as Ernie Johnson, Jr. would say. He coined this term from a baseball game he was playing when he was only 8-years-old. Two outfielders got distracted during the game and found a blackberry patch, and in turn, they delayed the game because the two were nowhere to be found. This unexpected event of a couple kids getting distracted at a baseball game turned out to be a sweet memory for the team, and this created the phrase “blackberry moment”.
Ernie has one main passion in life: family. His family has brought him many “blackberry moments”. Through his time-consuming career, deathly battle with cancer, and the loss of his biggest hero, he always puts his family at the top in everything he does.
Ernie Johnson, Jr. is no stranger to the University of Georgia. This is where he started his extremely successful career journey with a B.A. in journalism. Since he graduated, he has had various broadcasting jobs which brought him to where he is now. He has become a well-known host for Inside the NBA on TNT. Ernie is very passionate about his job, but he still manages to put his family above his work.
One of the most significant challenges was his battle with cancer. Ernie was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2003. Through all his treatment cycles, he continued to be dedicated to his job and he did not miss a single night of hosting on TNT. One memory that sticks out to Ernie after his won his battle with cancer was his father calling him to tell him how proud he was of him.
His battle with cancer was definitely a “blackberry” moment to Ernie. Although it was an unfortunate battle, he conquered it, and because of that battle, he has grown stronger as not only a man, but as a father. He gained faith, appreciation, and hope from this battle.
Many people are familiar with Ernie’s father, Ernie, Sr. He was a Major League pitcher and broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves. Ernie and his father were very close all throughout life, and Ernie even attributes a lot of who he is today to his father.
Ernie Jr. was on his way home from broadcasting a PGA Open tournament in Atlanta when he got a call from his brother saying that his father was not doing well, and he needed to come see him. His father passed away as Ernie Jr. was on the way to see him, and that is something that Ernie Jr. continues to beat himself up for today because he believes he should have been there. Ernie always wants to be there for his family.
Ernie Jr. took away a “blackberry moment” from his fathers death by trying to live up to the legacy that his father has left behind, especially in the aspect of family.
“You learn from your dad. You pass that onto your kid. Now let’s keep that going.”- Ernie Johnson, Jr.
Ernie and his wife have two biological children, Eric and Maggie. He once had a conflict with his work and family schedule. The possible NBA Playoff seventh game happened to land on the same night as his son’s high school graduation. Ernie struggled to make a decision on what he should do about this conflict for a while, but he soon had a realization. He knew his family goes before his job.
“The bottom line was this: I am a dad who happens to be a sportscaster. Not the other way around. Now would my bosses see it that way?” — Ernie Johnson, Jr.
Ernie and his wife also have four adopted children whose names are Michael from Romania, Carmen from Paraguay, and Allison and Ashley, who are adopted through foster care.
While Ernie and his wife were watching an episode of NBC’s 20/20 about Romanian babies in orphanages, they realized that they had to adopt one of the Romanian babies. So that’s what they did. They had in mind a baby girl under a year old with no handicaps, but the baby they ended up falling in love with a child who did not fit this description at all. They brought Michael home, a three-year-old boy who they were told would never be able to walk or talk. He was later diagnosed with duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is a fatal disorder that gradually deters the bodies muscles. Michael was not supposed to make it out of his late teens, but he is now 26 years old.
Having a child with handicaps like Michael has is a job in itself. He is unable to move at all due to his muscular disorder, so Ernie and his wife have to do everything for him. Since Ernie’s job is not a typical 9 to 5 job, he is able to spend a great deal of time with Michael. They truly have become best friends. Michael was definitely one of the biggest “blackberries” to Ernie and his wife.
“There’s value in everybody. You don’t all have to play by the same rules and have the same capabilities.”- Ernie Johnson, Jr.
Ernie made sure everybody knew his family came before everything else in life. His life was full of unexpected blessings, or “blackberries” that ended up being his passions in life.
