As many of you may already know, the legendary Kobe Bryant & his daughter were killed in a helicopter crash last Sunday, along with seven other victims. May they all rest in paradise. Honestly, no one saw this coming and that’s how it usually happens, suddenly. Hearing the news that Kobe passed away was heartbreaking and quite frankly unbelievable. As a child, I watched Kobe play ball with the greats as I spent time with my own father. I grew to love basketball because it was something that I could enjoy with my daddy. My daddy was a workaholic, he was always away from our home to provide for us and my mom, but he always made time to watch football, boxing, racing and my favorite, basketball. We would gather around the tv to watch the playoffs, the finals, the all star game! It brought our family together, even if it was for a short period of time. I miss those days. Hearing that Kobe passed away broke my heart because it almost felt like he was apart of our family. We watched him grow from a boy, to a mature adult. We witnessed when he made mistakes & bounced back from them as well. He was a father, a husband, a son, a legend! No one could deny his greatness! Let Kobe’s death be a lesson to everyone. Life is too short, I know you may hear that often, but it’s so true. When it’s your time to go, it nothing you can do or say. Live your life to the fullest! Embrace your love ones. Take chances. Be a blessing to others. Tell those who are near and dear to you, that you love them. XOXO Samone Lashae.