Ernie Johnson is one of the most recognizable broadcasters on Turner Sports, so it was surprising to hear he wouldn’t be part of their golf event The Match 2. But even though Johnson wasn’t there to call the tournament, he was featured in the open with an emotional address.
On the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, the sports world was focused on the golf pairing of Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady. As fans clamor for more live sporting events and a general return to normalcy, Johnson discussed the COVID-19 pandemic with powerful words from his home.
“I would have loved to have been part of the broadcast team down there at Medalist today,” Johnson said. “But I have a 31-year-old son Michael, and for the last nine years, every breath he’s taken has been with the aid of a ventilator. He gets lung infections all the time. I just didn’t think it was worth the risk of bringing in an unseen foe into our house.”
Johnson’s son Michael has muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder which causes severe respiratory issues as the body’s muscles weaken and deteriorate. There is no known cure and since 2011, Michael has required permanent use of a ventilator to breath, putting him at severe risk if he contracts COVID-19.
“Like many of you, I’ve wrestled with what is safe, what’s wise, what’s cautious amid a daily chorus of voices,” Johnson said. “We listen, and we hear, it seems, what we want to hear. We give voice to our fears, demonstrate our frustrations, and seek refuge in the simple, the exotic (Tiger King) and the legendary (The Last Dance).”
Johnson’s candid comments received praise on social media as his emotional words were not political or divisive, they were simply what people needed to hear.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
