Today marks a one year anniversary of the legendary 5-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna along with baseball coach John, Keri, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah and Payton Chester and Ara Zobayan who was the pilot who died in a helicopter in Calabasas, California.
It was the first tragic event that happened in the new decade. Thirteen year old Gianna was following the footsteps of her father to play basketball for the women’s division.
Fans kept Bryant’s and his daughter’s memory alive by painting murals around the world from Los Angeles to the Philippines. The Los Angeles Lakers became the 2020 NBA Champions and honored Bryant.
In a recent ABC interview LeBron James shared “There’s a lot of things that die in this world, but legends never die, and he was exactly that.. it’s all about representing him.” When Anthony Davis was asked about Bryant’s anniversary coming up he shared “As we approach his one-year anniversary, it saddens our hearts to actually come to the realization that he’s gone. I know I still have trouble with it, you still just can’t believe it.”
Bryant was also known as the “Black Mamba.” Kobe Bryant made history being the first professional athlete to win an Oscar for the short film “Dear Basketball” in 2018.
NBA interview in 2017, Bryant shared, “Mamba mentality is a way of life, it’s not an attitude, it’s the way you live… it’s the simplest form of trying to get better at what you are doing.” Bryant made history being the first professional athlete to win an Oscar for the short film “Dear Basketball” in 2018.
If you haven’t already watched “Dear Basketball” here is the video.
In a several interviews, Bryant has said he wanted to be the “best basketball player he could be” and what drove him was his passion. Throughout his life he emphasized on “Love what you do.” Here is a video of Kobe giving words of wisdom and encouragement.
Today many continue to keep his legacy alive. Vanessa Bryant celebrates the life of her husband and her daughter and shares with the world photos of them on social media. Mrs. Bryant posted on social media a letter from her daughter’s best friend Aubrey Callaghan. In the letter she writes about how Gianna changed the lives of those around her.
Mrs. Bryant shared, “I will never understand why/how this tragedy could’ve happened to such beautiful, kind, amazing human beings. It still doesn’t seem real.” Gianna’s nickname was “Gigi” but it was also “Mambacita.” You can read the letter below.
