I was 7 years old and living in a small city called Hamilton, just outside of Toronto. It was 2008, and since the hometown Raptors had made the playoffs the year before, I began following basketball up close. It was February and if anyone remembers, the Lakers played the Raptors in Toronto a day or two after the Gasol trade. That was the night I fell in love with Kobe's game. Of all the performances he put on; 81 points, 62 in 3 quarters, 65 against the Blazers, nothing stands out as much as the 46 points he dropped on the Raps that night. The grace, the elegance, the brilliance that he put on display was masterful. It was like watching someone paint on a blank canvas, perfecting every single detail. I was amazed, it was nothing like I had seen before. LeBron is my all time favorite but I always felt an attachement to Kobe that I never felt towards any other athlete. I would ditch class to just watch Kobe highlights. I'd ditch my friends to watch Kobe highlights. He wasn't just a hooper to me, he embodied everything I ever wanted to be: determined, disciplined, focused and hard working. He was my favorite to watch. I never looked up to anybody as much as I looked up to Kobe. He and Gigi's passing destroyed me. That Sunday was the worst day of my life. My spirit's broken. I cried every single day for over a month and the pain hasn't eased even a little bit. It hurts but through it all, I find beauty in knowing that someone who never even knew I existed has such a profound impact on my life. That's love. And even if it pains me that he's no longer here, I find comfort in knowing everything he did throughout his career was to leave a legacy. Leave something behind that was bigger than himself. Something that'll last forever. Something that will inspire generations to come. Something that transcends beyond his life. And as I see pages like this and tributes everywhere, he accomplished just that. Even death hasn't stopped Kobe because nothing ever will. Because people come and go but the Mamba?
The Mamba lives on Forever.
My Hero
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