Skip to content
  • Essence GU
  • Beautycon
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Afropunk
  • Essence Studios
  • Soko Mrkt
  • Ese Funds
  • Refinery29
  • 2025 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Entrepreneurship
  • News
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
  • Subscribe
Home • Celebrity

Magic Johnson Opens Up About Lyric McHenry's 'Difficult' Funeral

Family and friends were on hand to say their final farewell to the Stanford graduate.
Magic Johnson Opens Up About Lyric McHenry's 'Difficult' Funeral
Lyric McHenry / Instagram
By Paula Rogo · Updated October 23, 2020
Reality TV star Lyric McHenry, who was best friend’s with EJ Johnson, was laid to rest this week after dying from a suspected drug overdose last month. Famed basketball star Magic Johnson, the father of EJ, confirmed in a tweet Thursday that family and friends had said their final farewell to McHenry.

Yesterday was a difficult day as we laid to rest Lyric McHenry, a daughter to Cookie and I and best friend to EJ. We've known Lyric since she was a baby and shared many lifelong memories with her and her family.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) September 6, 2018

We were blessed to witness her become a caring and brilliant young lady. Her talent was special and her potential limitless. She will be sorely missed. May she rest in peace.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) September 6, 2018
“Yesterday was a difficult day as we laid to rest Lyric McHenry, a daughter to Cookie and I and best friend to EJ,” the former NBA star tweeted on Thursday. “We’ve known Lyric since she was a baby and shared many lifelong memories with her and her family.” “We were blessed to witness her become a caring and brilliant young lady. Her talent was special and her potential limitless,” he continued. “She will be sorely missed. May she rest in peace.” According to news reports, the 26-year-old producer was found last month sprawled out on a Bronx sidewalk and in possession of cocaine. She was rushed to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, where she later was pronounced dead. She was also 20 weeks pregnant. At the time, police claimed there were no obvious signs of trauma on her body. An investigation into her death was later opened. EJ told fans last month to respect his privacy. He had been friends with McHenry since they were kids, and she also appeared on his EJNYC reality show.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmJujPoBG1J/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_loading_state_control
“Lyric’s warmth, compassion and energy will be missed by many and the family would appreciate that all speculation surrounding the circumstances of death cease until the real facts are determined during the current investigation by the NYPD and the City of New York,” the Stanford graduate’s family said in a statement. Our thoughts are with the family.
TOPICS:  ej johnson lyric mchenry Magic Johnson