Whatever you think of Kobe Bryant, hope for the sake of his wife and their children they were all at peace with each other. However much that marriage endured when the couple was younger, at least visibly they all looked to be a in a good spot.
You can't live each day as if it is your last, because no work would ever be done. You can tell a loved one that you love them, and to be at peace with it all.
The rest is up to someone else.
As you all know by now, one of the best basketball players to ever live died in a helicopter crash on Sunday in Calabasas, Calif. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, one of those aboard was Bryant's teenage daughter, Gianna.
Along with a fellow parent and young friend, they were all reportedly flying to a basketball game. Per the L.A. Times, all nine people aboard the helicopter were killed.
Kobe Bryant was 41. Gianna was 13.
Having just lost my oldest brother to cancer, there was a chance to be in a good spot with Frank before he left. The cancer, and chemo, were awful, but there was the opportunity to say what we needed to say.
Even though his death brought sadness there is eternal relief that we were good. The last thing I said to him was, "I love you." The last thing he said to me was, "I love you, too."
We always want more, and maybe are sure we deserve it, but, if we're lucky, we don't get much more than that.
Whether it's Kobe Bryant, you, your neighbor, an ex, just hope that it's all OK when it's time to go.
In the coming days we are going to be flooded with Kobe Bryant tributes from fans, announcers, opponents, teammates, etc. We are going to hear about all of his basketball achievements, which are too long to list.
If someone wants to make the argument that Kobe Bryant is the best basketball player of all time, I'll buy it. He's among the 10 or so candidates whose resume warrants the title of "GOAT."
We are going to hear about that he was not the easiest teammate in the world.
We are going to hear about the sexual assault charge, and that rooting for Bryant was to celebrate a rapist.
I am not going to argue about what kind of person Kobe Bryant was, or make any sort of moral stand about an NBA player. The charge was dropped, and he apologized while not admitting guilt.
At this point, I just hope those closest he left can sleep through the night sooner rather than later.
I dealt with Kobe Bryant in a small setting one time, in early January 2005. His reputation with the media was spotty, which is typical of superstar jocks.
It was me, Kobe and two other reporters from L.A. at the Lakers' practice gym. Kobe was just chatting with two faces he knew, and one he did not, mine. The Lakers were awful, he knew it, and the four of us had a nice conversation with no cameras and four writers ... a meeting like this never happens.
Thus my impressions of the man were molded favorably ever since. That's how these things go.
As far as the rest? He was a generational player, and owned his stage the way few can.
It's a sad day because ... there is no reason to explain why.
An icon died too young, and a little girl is gone with her entire life ahead. The families of the others on board are dealing with pain that will change their lives forever.
There are 170,000 words in the English language and, in this instance, I learned but two work: It sucks.
Don't bother looking for explanations, or answers. Death is a part of life, and the living just have to deal with it.
My hope is that Kobe Bryant and all of his family and loved ones were all in a good place with each other this morning; that they were at peace, because, right now, that will be the only thing that gives them any shot at having peace.
