Michael Jordan was the definition of fearless, possessing an unparalleled mentality and belief that allowed him to achieve incredible feats on and off the court.
In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, he came down with food poisoning and put on a masterclass in the classic “Flu Game,” scoring 38 points in 44 minutes against the Utah Jazz. ,
But as a young man, the six-time world champion was greatly affected by two traumatic events that would change his life forever.
At the age of seven, Jordan witnessed his friend die in a maritime accident. The Chicago Bulls icon held onto his companion’s hand as tightly as he could, but he couldn’t compete with the current and had to make the difficult decision to release.
He recalled the 1992 tragedy to Playboy magazine, saying: “One day I went swimming with a very good friend and we had a great time.
“One time the current was so strong it swallowed him up and he grabbed me. It’s called a ‘death lock’ when someone dies. I almost had to break his hand for him to take me away .” “
![Image: Getty](https://images.ladbible.com/resize?type=jpeg&quality=70&width=648&fit=contain&gravity=null&url=https://images.ladbiblegroup.com/v3/assets/blta90d05ad41a54a71/blt20889439006a3e17/65d612844e033e040a90ba84/GettyImages-1471217191.jpg)
The order was hard enough for a young man to accept, but four years later another harrowing incident that Jordan witnessed occurred.
At age 11, he suffered a fear of drowning at a baseball camp, and then in college, his then-girlfriend drowned while everyone was away on vacation.
This resulted in Jordan suffering from hydrophobia, which he openly discussed in his autobiography, “For the Love of the Game: My Story.”
At age 11, he suffered a fear of drowning at a baseball camp, and then in college, his then-girlfriend drowned while everyone was away on vacation.
This resulted in Jordan suffering from hydrophobia, which he openly discussed in his autobiography, “For the Love of the Game: My Story.”
“I won’t go into the water again,” he declared.
“Everyone has a phobia of something. I stay away from water.”
However, the 61-year-old seems to be able to overcome his fears and owns an incredible superyacht worth a whopping $80 million.
![Image: Getty](https://images.ladbible.com/resize?type=jpeg&quality=70&width=648&fit=contain&gravity=null&url=https://images.ladbiblegroup.com/v3/assets/blta90d05ad41a54a71/blte4ed99c336965541/65d61372a3989a040a7cf677/GettyImages-1414993777.jpg)
He did have some reservations, though, adding: “There were only big boats (boats), no small boats, and I needed a life jacket.”