Dear Kobe,
Anyone that knows me knows that I don't know a lick about basketball. I don't know any of your stats, I don't know how many years you played, I just learned your number, and I definitely don't know what your position was (basketball has positions right?) What I do know though is in the past two days since your death, the death of your daughter, and the death of seven other individuals whose lives ended too soon, the world has changed.
I'll be honest, up until this week I saw you as the too good for anybody basketball player, someone that life came easy to, and someone that quite frankly was everything opposite than the underdog that I am. But in these past two days, I've learned just how wrong I am. I've learned of your goodness to those you, the way you treat your family, the way you treat your fans, but most importantly the way you worshipped and practiced your Catholic faith.
All this being said, what I want to say is thank you. Thank you for reminding me to be open to understand those that I have misjudged. Thank you for reminding me to ever more loving my #girldad. Thank you for reminding me to always be there for those around me. Thank you for showing me that the world can come together and that there is still good here. Most importantly, thank you for reminding me and compelling me to cling to Jesus, because whether today is my last day on this earth or just another Tuesday, tomorrow is never promised.
Thank you for your lessons, thank you for your witness. I pray you’re up there in Heaven doing what you love most, playing basketball with your little girl.
-Kacie
(A basketball novice but now forever a fan)