It’s been one week since the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant along with his daughter Gigi, and other families traveling together last Sunday – John Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli, their daughter Alyssa Altobelli; Christina Mauser; Sarah Chester, her daughter Payton Chester; and pilot Ara Zobayan. I haven’t gone a day this week without thinking about all the families, friends, and communities the fatality has affected.
I didn’t personally know Kobe Bryant or any of the passengers on board, but the situation itself is relatable and felt on so many levels because innocent loved ones, children, families were involved whose lives ended abruptly. To lose a child is heartbreaking as a parent.
You don’t have to know someone personally to recognize their contribution to the world and their long lasting legacy as an athlete and a human. Kobe Bryant was the face of basketball for almost 20 years and is regarded as a symbol of perseverance, strength, and love.
Early Memories of Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant was 17 years old when he got drafted in the NBA, straight out of high school in 1996, and 18 when the season began. I remembered the event well because I was a sophomore in high school where I played on the women’s basketball team. Naturally, I followed some sports coverage and sports news, especially basketball. As with fellow athletes on our high school basketball teams we were excited and inspired by this up and coming high school athlete turned pro. Admittedly I wasn’t a huge Lakers fan as I was a Sonics fan, but many of us in high school still viewed Kobe as a peer since he was our age when his NBA career started which made him that much more relatable. He was fun to watch throughout his 20 year basketball career, and despite some of his misgivings and mistakes, he grew and matured into a loving husband, father, and devoted coach before leaving the world.