NBA legend Michael Jordan returned to his North Carolina hometown on Tuesday to give back to the community he came from.
Jordan and his mother Deloris were in Wilmington for the grand opening of the Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic — a big day in healthcare.
Jordan helped cut the ribbon on the city’s first Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic on Greenfield Street. The clinic is designed to provide healthcare for families in need.
“That’s what this clinic is about,” Jordan said. “When the families are not able to support, we’re there to support you … having money doesn’t matter. We’re going to do whatever we can to support you, because that’s what happened to me, that’s where I got it from.”
Ernie Bovio, president at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center, said the venture with the Jordan family is new for his organization.
“We’re bringing a new clinic to serve what’s been typically an underserved community to provide primary care, preventive care, screenings, those types of things, and we’re really excited about it, it’s going to be a tremendous community resource,” Bovio said.
Jordan has donated $10 million to help build two of these clinics in Wilmington.
Bovio said the star’s attendance at the opening of the first location shows his commitment to the community.
“It was pretty cool for Michael Jordan to come here and help us dedicate and celebrate,” Bovio said. “It was really his generosity and vision that made this a reality.”
Jordan has already helped open similar clinics in other parts of the state but wanted his legacy to live on in Wilmington as well.
“I did it in Charlotte, and now we can do it here in Wilmington, which makes it even more special because this is who I came from,” Jordan said. “And no matter how you see Michael Jordan, this is where I started, this is where I’m always gonna be a part of.”
Work has already started on the second clinic.