It’s hard to deal with the loss of someone who made such a lasting legacy of so many people across the globe as former Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant.
Kobe died in a helicopter accident, crashing into Calabasas hillside in California on a Sunday morning that killed eight other people, including Gianna, his 13-year-old daughter.
All nine people aboard the helicopter were killed. Among them are Gianna’s basketball teammate Alyssa Altobelli, her mother, Keri, and her father, John, a baseball coach. Also killed in the accident were Payton Chester, another teammate of Gianna’s, and Payton’s mother Sarah Christina Mauser, a school basketball assistant coach.
According to news reports, the helicopter pilot identified as Ara Zobayan, was also killed.
Kobe’s death caught us off guard, waking us up to a reality that he’s all gone. It shookt the hearts of people from all walks of life. He will never be forgotten, his “mamba mentality” will continue to push us to our limits, serving as an inspiration for everyone to work harder, on and off the court.
“To sum up what Mamba Mentality is, it means to be able to constantly try to be the best version yourself.” Bryant once said.
It’s no wonder why he’s a five-time NBA champion. And to add to that, among his accomplishments:
● 2- time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (2009-2010)
● NBA MVP (2008)
● 18- time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-2016)
● 4-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011)
● 11-time All-NBA First Team (2002-2004)
● 2-time All-NBA Second Team (2000-2001)
● 2-time All NBA Third Team (1999, 2005)
● 9-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003-2004, 2006-2011)
● 3-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001-2002, 2012)
● 2-time NBA Scoring Champion (2006-2007)
● 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2008, 2012)
● NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion (1997)
● NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997)
● Los Angeles Lakers All-time Leading Scorer ( 33, 643 points)
● Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1996)
● Academy Award winner for Animated Short Film (2018)
Despite all these achievements, he remained down to earth. Kobe never forgets where he came from. And even in his death, he continues to motivate us to be the best versions of ourselves.
Death is inevitable and it can happen anytime, anywhere.
Sometimes, we often take our loved one’s for granted, but remember, life is short. Don’t miss opportunities to spend time with the people you love. Starting from this day, we hope each and every one of us finds a way to make our loved one’s day special. It is never too late to show how much they mean to us.
We at Diyaryo Milenyo want to send our deep condolences to all the families affected by this tragedy and to everyone who is grieving at the same time. Take heart, we are with you.
Farewell Kobe, you will be missed but your legacy will live on forever.
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Words by: Arjon Esteban
*Photo credit to Google