Michael Jordan honored his mother in the most powerful way possible.

To celebrate Deloris Jordan’s 84th birthday, the Chicago Bulls legend donated $10 million to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center – a gift that will reshape neurological care for thousands across North Carolina.

Jordan’s tribute reflects the values instilled in him by his mother, who has long championed equal access to quality care and support for underserved communities.

In recognition of the donation, the hospital’s neuroscience center will be renamed the Novant Health Deloris Jordan Neuroscience Institute, cementing her legacy in the very region where she raised her family.

Deloris Jordan was born in Rocky Point, North Carolina before moving to New York with her husband, James Jordan Sr. The couple returned to Wilmington shortly after Michael’s birth, planting the roots of a family that would one day produce one of the most influential athletes in history.

Jordan’s donation will help patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

The donation will also fund four new Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics, expanding affordable, high-quality medical care throughout southeastern North Carolina.

According to Novant Health, the gift will significantly advance “research and innovation in brain health,” including programs for stroke treatment, Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Parkinson’s disease, and spine care – all aimed at bringing state-of-the-art neurological services to communities that need them most.

With this latest contribution, Jordan has now donated $27 million to the Novant Health Foundation. A formal dedication ceremony for the new institute is planned for early next year.

Jordan is extending his mother’s legacy of compassion and solidarity

My mother taught me the importance of compassion and community,” Jordan said. “I can’t think of a better way to honor her than by helping to ensure those in need can obtain the most advanced neurological care available.”

The six-time NBA champion has often credited his parents for shaping his life and career. In a 1992 interview during the height of his Bulls dynasty, Jordan said, “Most of my guidance has come from my parents. My mom told me to deal with life as it comes, enjoy it as it comes – and that’s what I’ve been doing.”

Decades later, he is still honoring that guidance, this time by passing it on to an entire region.