March 1, 2020 | Blogs and News
By Mireille K. — 1 min read —
There are a few moments in your life when you remember where you were when you hear unexpected news. This was one of them. On Sunday January 26, 2020, the world lost a legend, an athlete, a husband, a father, and a friend. Kobe Bryant, Gigi Bryant and seven others passed away tragically in a helicopter crash and the world couldn’t quite believe it. It felt weird and it made no sense, as if Kobe was the sort of person who was supposed to live forever and that this news wasn’t real. But even more surprising was how this news seemed to affect everyone in the world so deeply, even if they weren’t particular fans of Bryant. It was as if a close friend had passed away, everyone was crying and unsettled by the amount of sadness they felt.
After all Kobe wasn’t just an athlete, he was a good person who did good things for the community around him. He inspired the world with his “Mamba mentality” and encouraged people to never give up despite the obstacles that surfaced. His friends in Italy (where he lived as a teen), would make fun of him when he said he’d join the NBA, but his relentless hard work and dedication to his passion proved that anything is possible. He did charity work, and as a father of four daughters, pushed for more females in the basketball industry, even opening up a camp for girls to professionally train for the sport.
He may be gone but his legacy and the positive messages he spread will live on forever, as he said, “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.”
Life is fragile, and hearing about Kobe dying so unexpectedly made everyone reevaluate their lives. Sometimes it feels like all your dreams and hopes are stolen away from you and your life is passing you by. But Kobe always emphasized pushing through the anxiety and obstacles that will inevitably rise. He said, “I think it’s important that you never lose that. You have to keep that. That’s the most important thing. I never gave up on my dream.” His untimely passing reminded all of us to make the most of the time we have and spend it doing what we love surrounded by the people we love.
Kobe Bryant’s life was cut short without any warning, he was a healthy young man with a promising future. Unfortunately, many children with terminal illnesses are faced with accepting the harsh reality that their life may soon come to an end. In fact, some of the children at the hospitals where Children’s Music Fund provides music therapy, don’t have a chance at a life. Organizations, like Children’s Music Fund, play a vital role in easing the uncertainties and pain these children feel. Through musical therapy, where there was dread and fear, there is now hope and beauty. For even just a moment, sick kids have the chance to find peace and comfort and are inspired to persevere.
At the end of the day, after listening to thousands of people speak about Kobe’s legacy, it’s clear that people find Kobe as much of an impactful personality on the court as he was off the court.
Although Kobe played basketball, most of his real work happened off the court. He changed people’s lives by not only financially supporting, but also by giving all his time and effort to many charities, especially helping empower young girls on and off the basketball court by supporting his daughter’s team. We can all learn from this. What will be your legacy? Get involved with Children’s Music Fund, learn more here https://www.thecmf.org/contribute