Kobe The Father
I have to admit, Kobe was the kind of player that you hated to watch against your favourite team, but over the years it was interesting to see him develop as a personality and eventually a Father.
While the balance of the reporting since his death has been about his career and his personal life, you can't escape the heartbreak when you see him pictured with the other Fathers and their families who were victims in the accident.
Over the years, Kobe embraced his fatherhood and post NBA life with the same energy. He has been forthcoming about the changes he'd like to see so that his 4 daughters would not have obstacles to greatness. He was been seen publicly working with his kids on the things that made him great and teaching them discipline and routine.
His job as a parent was to protect his family and kids at any cost and I can't help but think about the feeling he must have felt when he realized that he had lost that power to protect both his family and himself. I wonder about the kids and families who were waiting at the tournament for them and the immediate shock that resonated. My heart breaks for the family left behind.
If you have a daughter who you spend any time with, as a father you realize very soon that they are awesome humans with increasing complexities. This past summer my 13 year old daughter beat me in a running race and I was both appalled and miffed. My ego took a shot, but I was also shocked at the how quickly the moment had come where that could be possible. You will hear a lot of debates about where Kobe fits into the cultural mosaic of basketball and pop culture, but there is no denying that despite his flaws and hyper motivation to personally be the best, he aimed to be the best Father that he could, and just a reminder that you should to.
