Before Michael Jordan became a six-time NBA champion, a global brand and the standard against which basketball greatness is still measured, he was a student at Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. To one former teacher, he never stopped being that student.
That teacher, known as Ms. Etta, is now receiving hospice care at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare in Jordan’s hometown. As she reflected on her life, her students and the memories that stayed with her, Jordan’s name kept coming up.
Her wish was simple as all she wanted was to speak with him one more time.
Staff at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare tried to make that happen, though reaching one of the most famous athletes in the world was never going to be easy. Then social worker Wendy received a call from an unknown number.
“Is this Ms. Etta?” the caller asked, according to WECT 6. It was Jordan.
Wendy was at home when the call came in, but she drove straight to Ms. Etta so the two could connect on FaceTime.
Teacher and former student share one more moment
The video call quickly became more than a celebrity gesture. Lower Cape Fear LifeCare staff told WECT 6 that Jordan and Ms. Etta “laughed, reminisced, picked at each other, and shared a moment that brought tears to everyone in the room.”
In footage shared by the outlet, Ms. Etta can be seen sitting on a couch during the call while Jordan, wearing a blue t-shirt, smiles back from the screen.
The moment gave her family something lasting at an incredibly difficult time. It was not about an autograph, a public event or a staged appearance. It was a private connection between a teacher and a former student whose life went on to become extraordinary.
Jordan graduated from Laney High School in 1981, years before he became the face of the Chicago Bulls dynasty.
His high school story has long been part of his legend, especially the famous setback of being left off the varsity team as a sophomore, which later became part of the competitive fuel behind his career.
For Ms. Etta, though, the fame seemed secondary. The memory was personal.
Jordan’s Wilmington ties remain strong
Jordan has continued to support Wilmington long after leaving North Carolina for college basketball, the NBA and global superstardom.
In 2024, he and Novant Health opened a third Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic in Wilmington. The clinic followed a $10 million donation from Jordan to expand access to care in his hometown.
“I am confident Novant Health’s new clinic will positively impact individuals and families throughout Wilmington,” Jordan said in a statement at the time, adding that he was “profoundly grateful” to help make the project happen.
A year earlier, Jordan marked his 60th birthday by donating $10 million to Make-A-Wish, the largest individual gift in the organization’s history.
“For the past 34 years, it’s been an honor to partner with Make-A-Wish and help bring a smile and happiness to so many kids,” Jordan said then
This time, the wish came from someone who knew him before the world did.
For Ms. Etta and her family, Jordan’s call was more than a kind act. It was a final reminder that even the biggest legends are still shaped by the people who taught them first.
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