So, I was having breakfast at the Paséa Hotel Sunday morning when I get a text from my daughter, at 10:00 am: “Dad did you hear about Kobe?” I texted back “What happened?” “He died in a helicopter crash.” Not believing her I looked online at TMZ, Los Angeles Times and Facebook. I texted back. “Could be a hoax not on any major networks.” Then all of sudden the story blows up and is everywhere.
I’m not really a sentimental guy, I never cared when my dad passed away. But this really hurt, my eyes teared up. I could feel the pain of loss for the first time in my life. Over the course of the rest of the day I experienced that feeling many times as I watched the TV and read Facebook posts of so many others being affected. This man really touched and inspired our communities of Los Angeles and Orange County so much.
My trainer, Rodger trained Kobe three to four times a week for many months. Kobe would start at 3 AM and train until 5 AM. I train from 5 AM to 6 AM. As we would pass, we would exchange pleasantries and jab each other. What really made an impression on me was that he was a man that was massively successful, reached the top of his game, yet the only time in his busy schedule to train was 3 to 5 AM. He would joke and say, “When I retire, I don’t want to end up looking out of shape like all the other pro basketball players.”
One day my wife, who trains just after Vanessa Bryant, asked him if he could sign two basketballs for our house keeper’s nephews. He did it with pleasure. I have read his book Mamba Mentality, watched countless YouTube videos of his constant drive to succeed and the sacrifices he made every day, to outwork and out train his competition. “The Moment you give up, is the moment you let someone else win.” – Kobe Bryant. He was like a light moving through darkness showing us all what’s truly possible. His loss really affected me; the light went out. Kobe was a living Inspirational legend.
We all must navigate the challenges and obstacles of this life. Life is tough. Take the time to go and listen to a few words of inspiration, it will really get you going in your journey to be a better person.
Make every moment count and live your life to the fullest, because all of our experiences can be over in an instant. Make life count!
“Mamba Out”
