1 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: Diversion podcasts, Born next next and only going into met 2 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,159 Speaker 1: the government will be like I did that. We just 3 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:26,319 Speaker 1: said we found out how this already noted. It was 4 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: going on the way back on the bus ride, like 5 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: two hour bus ride. Bus had a leak in, it 6 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: was raining, rain, got bustings in the head. The only 7 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: thee was fun because we were point another. We're making 8 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: jokes on win another and having a good time. You 9 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,319 Speaker 1: know we always do with a basketball here. That's that's 10 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 1: the only found fight about it. That was Kobe Bryant 11 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: with his friend and confident Jeremy Treatment from the spring 12 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: of talking about one of the last obligations that Kobe 13 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: had to fulfill during his time as a student and 14 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: a basketball star at Lower Merion High School. He and 15 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: his teammates and coaches had taken a bus trip out 16 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: to Harrisburg, the state capital, to meet Governor Tom Ridge 17 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: and to receive a special acknowledgement from the state legislature. 18 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: It was one of Kobe's last opportunities to be a 19 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 1: kid among other kids before almost everything in his life 20 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: changed forever. Nearly twenty four years later, on the afternoon 21 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: of Sunday, January, I was driving home from my in 22 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: law's house. My wife had gone grocery shopping. Our sons, 23 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: Evan and Gabe were in the car with me. Evan 24 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: was eight at the time, Gabe was five. At a stoplight, 25 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: I picked up my phone and checked my Twitter feed 26 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: Britney moves in this Sunday afternoon. Five time NBA champion 27 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: former League MVP Kobe Bryant died earlier this afternoon in 28 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: Los Angeles and a helicopter crashed. The news reports are 29 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: just coming in among multiple victims. Kobe Bryant on that helicopter. 30 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: We're gonna have. Ramona Shelbern joined us now from Los Angeles. 31 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: She is what Kobe Bryant had died. I actually said 32 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: what out loud in the car, and Evan got a 33 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: little worried, wondering what was wrong. I played it off, 34 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: told him, oh, nothing. I didn't bring it up until 35 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: we had gotten home ten minutes later and I parked 36 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: the car. We are coming back on the air with 37 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: new details and the tragic death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. 38 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 1: ABC News confirming the five time NBA champion for the 39 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Lakers was among five people killed when a 40 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: helicopter crashed and caught fire in southern California. Authorities in 41 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: Los Angeles County are holding a news coup. I off 42 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: handedly told Evan what had happened. I was trying not 43 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: to make a big deal out of it, Like he 44 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: had just gotten off the school bus and I was 45 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: asking him how his day had been. Besides, we had 46 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: to hustle. He had to get changed and he had 47 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: to head right out again. He had, of all things, 48 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: a basketball game. As Evan was putting his uniform on, though, 49 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: I had to make a phone call. I searched my 50 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: contacts for Jeremy Treatment's number. Tell me about the day 51 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: he got. What were you doing that goes on the 52 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: phone with you. I'm Mike Sealsky and from Diversion Podcasts. 53 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: This is I am cobD wat sne wht Slee to 54 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: Create myself Saigned signs up and create yourself. Say nice, 55 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: go on, create yourself. You gotta line of fren great minds, 56 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: but we ain't line. Tell him that's getting time, Episode ten, 57 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: Remembering Greatness. Two things happen when someone famous dies, especially 58 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: when that person dies before their time. The first is 59 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: something we all do. If that figure meant something to you, 60 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: like Kobe meant something to so many. We mark the 61 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: moment we burn into our brains exactly where we were, 62 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: what we were doing when we learned that this person 63 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: was gone. Millions of people did that. When Kobe Bryant died, 64 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,239 Speaker 1: I happened to be in a car with my kids. 65 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: Maybe you were at church, or at your daughters swim meet, 66 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: or sitting with your feet up in your living room. 67 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: Doesn't matter. You don't forget it. But there's something else, 68 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: and it happens only to people who knew the person. 69 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: You review your own life and you try to figure 70 00:04:55,920 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 1: out where you fit into their life. You remember the 71 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: best times you had together, the hardest times, the times 72 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: that made you smile and laugh, the times that made 73 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: you furious. You remember the last time you saw them, 74 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: the last time you spoke, the last time they crossed 75 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 1: your mind. Aren't tell him. Kobe's first agent went through 76 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: that process when Kobe died. At that point, tell him 77 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 1: hadn't represented Kobe in about twenty years. He actually retired 78 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: from being an agent and became an executive with the 79 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: Detroit Pistons, And it was in Detroit where he and 80 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: Kobe talked in person for the last time during Kobe's 81 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: final season with the Lakers. We certainly had our you know, 82 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: issues where we disagreed, but I have to say that 83 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: in the end he was always great to me and 84 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: my family and my kids. And then, you know, five 85 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: years ago write something, Chop of the Pistons called to 86 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: congratulate me. And when I saw him in Detroit as 87 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: last year, my first year of the businesses, last year 88 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: playing with the Lakers, came up to before the game, 89 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: gave me a hug, thanking for everything, and you know, 90 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: I couldn't have been nicer. And he asked me if 91 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: I was happy what I was doing and and I said, 92 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 1: you know how life is. You have to always change 93 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 1: and adapt and challenge yourself. And I said, you're gonna 94 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: do the same thing as you go into your nice 95 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: chapter and I'll never forget. He said, yeah, my next 96 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: chapter will even be greater, and they ran off further. 97 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: John Paul tell him had known Kobe a long time. 98 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: Kobe's friends from Lower Marion had known him even longer 99 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 1: from spending the last year and a half talking to 100 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: them from my book and for this podcast, I can 101 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: tell you the Kobe's death affected those people who knew 102 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,799 Speaker 1: him when he was a kid in a different way 103 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 1: than it did just about anyone else. I'm not suggesting 104 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 1: that Kobe's Lakers teammates or his friends from the NBA 105 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 1: weren't profoundly saddened by his death. I'm not saying that 106 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: at all. But the connection between Kobe and people like 107 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: Jeremy Treatment and his high school coach Greg Downer, and 108 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: his classmates and teammates from Lower Marian was something else Entirely. 109 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: They knew him before he was a star. They bonded 110 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: with him when he occupied a space somewhere closer to 111 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: our own, before he became a star. Then they watched 112 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: him become a star. It's like they were friends with 113 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: Peter Parker before that. Radioactive Spider bidden listen to his 114 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: friend Guy Stewart, his teammate at Lower Marian, talk about 115 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: what it was like to find out that Kobe had died. 116 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: Guy was getting calls and text messages, dozens of them 117 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: from people who knew him and knew Kobe, but he 118 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: didn't want to believe them. And then I remember the 119 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: moment I see it on CNN, and I'm like, I 120 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: started like, I'm like my body shaking, I can't like 121 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: focus on anything. It has been confirmed CNN is able 122 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: to tell you now that NBA star Kobe Bryant was 123 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: on board that helicopter and is now dead at the 124 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: age of forty one. Or Christine Brooke, I'm like texting everybody. 125 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: I call a sister. She doesn't answer, and I'm like, 126 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: all right, well, like what's what's going on? Not to 127 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: say that she always answers my calls or whatever like that, 128 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: but Texas cousin no response. I'm like, this can't be true. 129 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: And I'm just like stuck in my seat and I 130 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: just couldn't think of anything. And you know, once they 131 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: confirmed it, it was just like complete just breakdown. You know, 132 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: like you expect to see this guy who was like 133 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: Superman to everybody that he that that knew him personally, 134 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: even you know, even if you didn't know him person 135 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: you just think, like, that's not supposed to happen to 136 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: a guy like that, That's not supposed to happen to 137 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: his daughter, you know, and you almost questioned God's plan, 138 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: like how like how could this happen? Do you expect 139 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: like the blame the crash and he's like holding everybody 140 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: in his arms and they come out and he's fine, 141 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: you know, or just like the story is just just 142 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: isn't true. And I still can't believe it to this day. 143 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: I still can't believe that he's gone to this day. Um, 144 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: but yeah, I remember that day like like it was yesterday. 145 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: Emery Dabney, the point guard and Lower Marrion State championship team, 146 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 1: the kid who had joined Kobe for those scrimmages and 147 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: pickup games at St. Joseph's and Episcopal during the summer, 148 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: was doing pretty much the same thing I was doing 149 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 1: on that day. He was going grocery shopping with his wife. 150 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: It was so crazy because I had a friend who 151 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,079 Speaker 1: had found an old picture of me and Kobe and 152 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: it just text me picture of us maybe like an 153 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: hour before. We're driving home and I get a cough. 154 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: My friend who lives in l A and he's kind 155 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: of scene out there. Well, one of our teammates from 156 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: college actually, and he told me, he's like, yeah, Kobe 157 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: died up the helicopter crash. Like you're you're a line, 158 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: there's no way look at the Hollida. He's like, I'm 159 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:20,319 Speaker 1: telling you and this is before the news of broke, 160 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: so he's like Emory and he's kind of a prankster. 161 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: So I was like, you're you're full of ship on it. 162 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: There's no way in the world that that happened. So 163 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: he's like, Imry, I'm serious. And I got calls from 164 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,559 Speaker 1: people like I'm telling you. So we kept driving. I'm like, 165 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: this be So my wife is looking on her phone 166 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: for the news and we don't see anything. Calling back, 167 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 1: I'm like, there's nothing on the news. You're you're you know, 168 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: you're full of ship, and like maybe like forty or 169 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: five minutes later, the news broke. Jeremy Treatment was the 170 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: guy I knew best was close to Kobe. When I 171 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: called him that day, I just wanted to touch base 172 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: with him, to see what he knew and how he 173 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 1: was doing. He was at Jefferson University in the East 174 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia. He was overseeing a high school 175 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: basketball tournament there and a big game was about to 176 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 1: start between German Town Academy and Newman Garrett, two of 177 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: the top teams in the Philadelphia about all this and 178 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, and I was getting his text, 179 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 1: and the first text came from my friend Jeff Isais 180 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: is probably the biggest jokester I know, so how ironic 181 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: He's the biggest jokes right now. It's it And it's like, 182 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: I see this little image from t MC. It says 183 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant eyes in helicopter crash. I got twelve people 184 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: around me, so it's not like I was at home, 185 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: just you know, sitting there. It could be glued to it, 186 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: and I'm like, well, like like I I didn't think 187 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: it was real. And then I got another one and 188 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 1: another one and I think you called it's called I'm like, 189 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: oh my god, this is just happening. This is this 190 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: is real. Listen carefully to this next part. There were 191 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 1: children playing in a pool in a house near Jeremy's 192 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: while I was recording him. In the background, you can 193 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: hear one of the kids crying. I think of that 194 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: every time I listen to what Jeremy says. Next, I 195 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: broke down for a minute talking to this guy del 196 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: Greco Wilson and who I knew, and this other guy 197 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,079 Speaker 1: came over. I didn't know who he was, and I 198 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 1: I put my head on the shoulder and I started 199 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 1: to a complete stranger. To this day, I don't know 200 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: who it was. Hey, this is Mike Sealsky, host and 201 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:57,439 Speaker 1: writer of I Am Kobe. This podcast project came out 202 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: of my work on a related book called The Rise 203 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality. If you want 204 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,439 Speaker 1: to explore other parts of Kobe's story, check out The Rise. 205 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 1: It's not just a book version of the podcast. I 206 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: dive deeper into some of the topics covered in this series, 207 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: and even some that we don't cover at all. Kobe's upbringing, 208 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 1: his family, his identity, his effect on his friends and teammates, 209 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: his journey into the n b A, and his earliest 210 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 1: days with the Lakers. The Rise Kobe Bryant and the 211 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: Pursuit of Immortality is out now. Just head over to 212 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: the Rise of Kobe book dot com and you can 213 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: buy it from any of your favorite retailers. That's The 214 00:13:38,600 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: Rise of Kobe Book dot com. Thanks. A month after 215 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: Kobe's death, a memorial service was held for him and 216 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 1: his daughter Gianna in Los Angeles at Staples Center, the 217 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: Lakers home arena. Jeremy and Greg Downer flew out to 218 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: l A to attend the service for both of them. 219 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: There was an odd feeling in being there. They still 220 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: couldn't believe Kobe was gone, still couldn't reconcile and come 221 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: to terms with his death. They woke up early on 222 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: the morning of the service, and the scene around the 223 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: arena shocked them back in the sorrow. I think you're 224 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: feeling a little bit like the Enturig guys, you know, 225 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: driving around l A and then all of a sudden 226 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: you get to the Forum and like, I mean, the 227 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: Staples Center was like, oh my god. And you see 228 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: all these people with Kobe stuff and Kobe flags and 229 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: Laker flag and Kobe shirts and a boy, this is 230 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: not gonna be easy. And U I'm glad I was there. 231 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: It's all I can say. I was glad I was there. 232 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: It was surreal. It was just too hard to believe inside, 233 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: as one speaker after another paid tribute to Kobe and Gianna, 234 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: his wife Vanessa, Shaquille O'Neill, Michael Jordan's when Kobe, a 235 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 1: piece of me died. And as I look in this arena, 236 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: across the globe, a piece of you die, else you 237 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: wouldn't be here. Those are the memories that we have 238 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: to live with, and we learn from Greg Downer thought 239 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: about the attribute that to him always seemed to define 240 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 1: Kobe best. The quality of the Kobe embodied was that, 241 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: either on a basketball court or in life, he could 242 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: not would not be stopped. When he wanted something, he 243 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: pursued it until he got it Downer believed that Kobe 244 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: could not be defeated, even by death, and he believed 245 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: it right up until he heard something during the memorial service. 246 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: You know, I heard this round of applause, and you 247 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: know it was it was shock in the corner. Somebody 248 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: was entering the building, and part of me was like, 249 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: you know, here he is, Like you know, all of 250 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: a sudden, he's alive or he um he recovered from 251 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: the helicopter crash and Superman is back. But I totally 252 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: agree with you that he had an indestructible way about him, 253 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: and I definitely need to feel the same way. As 254 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: the ceremony ended, Jeremy and Greg caught a glimpse of 255 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: Kobe's parents, Joe and Pam, sitting near the front, a 256 00:16:55,160 --> 00:17:10,160 Speaker 1: massive people around them. Neither Jeremy nor Greg had seen 257 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: or talked to Joe and Pam since Kobe's death. In fact, 258 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: neither of them had seen or talked to them in years, 259 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: but they had a chance now and they made their 260 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: way towards I'm Pam's like, Joe, it's Jeremy, Joe, it's Jeremy, Joe. 261 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: It's Jeremy. We journey saw me like had a thick smile. 262 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: I'm like, huh. The hug was thirty seconds long, and 263 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 1: it's like just it goes to show you, like like 264 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: he just knows his family, Like yeah, I'm not Seaquille Emeial, 265 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: but like it's just somebody trust for twenty five years, 266 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,239 Speaker 1: who had Kobe's best interest at heart. We we knew love. 267 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:50,719 Speaker 1: Kobe and I hadn't seen in a long time, and 268 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: it was especial and he told Greg the same thing. 269 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: But he just said, we made a kid for the world. 270 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: And I'm just like I had to. I had to 271 00:17:57,600 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 1: wait till I left the building, until her I could 272 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,439 Speaker 1: start to cry. I did. Pam was telling both of us, 273 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: don't cry, don't cry. I'm leaving, don't cry, and it 274 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: was this very immergtional I didn't amount Joe recently, and 275 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: he did right back. He was wishing us all well. 276 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 1: It was very sad. Of course, at the beginning of 277 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: this episode, I made an assertion about the things we 278 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: do when someone famous dies, the people who knew that 279 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 1: person try to figure out where they fit into his life. 280 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: That's all Kobe's friends and mentors from his teenage years 281 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: have been doing since his death. They've been weighing where 282 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:41,679 Speaker 1: they fit in Kobe's life and where Kobe still fits 283 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: in theirs when they think of him. What comes to 284 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: mind first for Greg Downer, it's Kobe's relationship with Brinn Downer, 285 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: Greg's daughter. They were close. Greg has several photos of 286 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: Kobe holding Brick hugging her. I'm glad that they got 287 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 1: to me, and uh, you know, I'm glad that Brand 288 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: got to feel greatness. And as Brand has gotten older, 289 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: she understands a little bit more as to who Kobe was. 290 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: And sometimes we'll just watch some highlights of him. And 291 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: you know, Kobe had four girls. I I only have one. 292 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: What makes this really difficult is the loss of Gianna 293 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: and what what she was and what she could have been. 294 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: But I'm so so thankful that that that Brendan Kobe 295 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: got to meet on several occasions. For Mike Egan, Downer's 296 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 1: assistant coach on Lower Marion State title team, one memory 297 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: of Kobe stands out. One day that season, the coaches 298 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: arranged for a gentleman named Harry Middleton to attend practice 299 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 1: and meet the team. Middleton had played for the Aces 300 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:57,200 Speaker 1: fifty three years earlier. In that was the last eight 301 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:03,360 Speaker 1: championship team for Longe here r and I just remember 302 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: she's Kobe being kind of in awe of the guy. 303 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,159 Speaker 1: This is an older guy now white hair. Um, you 304 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: wouldn't pick him out of the lineup as a former 305 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 1: captain of a state championship team. But just the respect 306 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 1: that Kobe showed for him, um, and the admiration he had, 307 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: like as a guy who um, you know, Kobe was 308 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 1: such a student of the game and he realized that, hey, 309 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: I might be the man now, but this guy was 310 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 1: the man in this school fifty three years ago. That 311 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: was really really cool for Emery Dabney. One anecdote doesn't 312 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: stand out about Kobe. His whole attitude does, just like 313 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:47,119 Speaker 1: his share will to succeed when you've been close to 314 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: that throughout your life, like you you have no choice 315 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: if to be successful, I mean whatever success is. But 316 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: he saw a gold and if you really think about 317 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: him at a young age, he was gonna do everything 318 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: he could have to accomplish that goal. Um, And that's 319 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 1: what I really think of when I think of him, 320 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: Just like him having no fear and his relentless pursuits 321 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: of of a goal, That's what I think of, Like 322 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: on every time I think of that's what That's the 323 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 1: first thing that comes to my mind. Dabney's perspective, I think, 324 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: is a good summary of the macro view of Kobe. 325 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:33,199 Speaker 1: It wasn't just Dabney who saw him as incredibly driven. 326 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: Everyone who watched him play basketball, or heard him talk 327 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 1: or read anything about him saw him the same way. 328 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 1: But for Jeremy Treatment, the memories of Kobe have been 329 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,679 Speaker 1: building up within him for a long time, even before 330 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: the horrible events of January. During that season, when Jeremy 331 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: was along for the ride to the state championship victory 332 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: with Kobe and the Lower Marian Aces, he compiled and 333 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: narrated a highlight video of the team's season. The soundtrack 334 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: he picked for the video was one that every basketball 335 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:15,360 Speaker 1: fan knows one shining moment, the song that CBS always 336 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: plays after the final game of the n c a 337 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: A men's basketball turning down got Lower Marion prepared for 338 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: the season right away, with a game against superpower Roman 339 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: Catholic at Dreadful University. The videos highlights don't just feature Kobe. 340 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: His teammates are hitting three pointers and dropping in layouts, 341 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: and Greg Downer is barking instructions from the side the 342 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: line and cheerleaders are screaming and shaking their pomp pomps. 343 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: But there's a lot of Kobe in the video, alley 344 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: oops and breakaway dunks and breathtaking plays. The kids at 345 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: Jeremy's camp see them fresh for the first time, but 346 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: Jeremy gets to relive his time with Kobe over and 347 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 1: over again, and he relished is it. It's funny like 348 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: when I when I played one China Moment every year camp. 349 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: I'm like, this was like special, special thing that happened 350 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 1: in this one special special time, And you know, you 351 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 1: could go seven years without anything even close to that happening. 352 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 1: And that's kind of how I feel about this time, 353 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:25,120 Speaker 1: like it was. And I look at my bucket list 354 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,440 Speaker 1: and look at things I've done and didn't do or 355 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,400 Speaker 1: with part of or experienced, and this is a one. 356 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 1: This is a major experience in my life. If you 357 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: spend any time with Jeremy, it becomes obvious how much 358 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: his time with Kobe means to him and still affects him. Yes, 359 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: he was there when Kobe got his start, but Kobe 360 00:23:56,119 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: was also there when Jeremy got his start. Jeremy had 361 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: had a terrific career and his friendship with Kobe really 362 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:07,359 Speaker 1: was his launching pad to Jeremy. The two of them 363 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: will always be linked us in incredible. It's like I've 364 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: known somebody pretty well that when they were on their rise, 365 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 1: to see them all the things they said we're gonna happen, 366 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: to see them actually happen. And how many people can 367 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: live up the hype. How many people are Lebron James 368 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: and Kobe Bryant, and how many people are like that? 369 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:29,920 Speaker 1: There's very new. It's like you're seeing a percosa spenom 370 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:32,640 Speaker 1: live up to the up to his own life, looked 371 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 1: up to his own life. That's even harder than living 372 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: up to the other people's hype. I mean there was 373 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 1: part of me that felt like you know, I was 374 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 1: part of that, not a small part, but that was 375 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 1: it was part of it. And special. I mean we 376 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 1: all idolized people people who were special. I mean we're 377 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 1: all special, but very This was incredibly unique person. Yes 378 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 1: he was, and in the unique story that was Kobe 379 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 1: Bryant's life, I think Jeremy Treatment holds a pretty special place. 380 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 1: He made these tapes with Kobe, and more importantly, he 381 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: kept them, He dug them up after all those years, 382 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: and he allowed them to be released into the world. Now, 383 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: the people who knew Kobe so well back then, who 384 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 1: loved him so much, can know how they fit into 385 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 1: his life because they and the world can hear through 386 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: Kobe's own voice how they fit and how much they 387 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: meant to him. They can hear Kobe teasing and joking 388 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 1: around with Jeremy during their interviews together, the easy comfort 389 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 1: they have with each other. Go hi, everyone, Okay, now 390 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: how do you feel about They can hear him acknowledge 391 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:01,920 Speaker 1: the impact at that Greg Downer had on his life, 392 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: the care that his high school coach had for him. 393 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: He knew that eventually I would becoming a great play 394 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 1: in the NBA. He knows that I would not have 395 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: anything left. But right now I have a word upon 396 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 1: my hand, and oh the NBA, you don't produced? Do 397 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: things been tappulate? And maybe I'll lose it. I'll go 398 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: to college, he knows I don't. They'll have to learn 399 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: abound writing. Comes had a world up my head. That's 400 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 1: that's what this man's learned always till I told him 401 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: I really don't care about that. They can hear the 402 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: way that Kobe spoke about his mom and dad back 403 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: when he still lived under their roof, when he was 404 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: just a teenager. Later on, once he was well into 405 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: his career with the Lakers, Kobe and his parents had 406 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: a falling out over his decision to get married so young, 407 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: over their roles in his life and his career and 408 00:26:53,640 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: his day to day existence. It lingered for years. I 409 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: wanted desperately to speak to Joe and Pam for my 410 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: book and for this series, especially Joe. He was the 411 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: person Kobe had looked up to the most, and in 412 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 1: a way, by pushing his father away, Kobe lost Joe 413 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: before Joe lost Kobe. But the Bryan's declined to speak 414 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 1: with me. As far as I know, they haven't spoken 415 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 1: publicly at all since Kobe's death. I completely understand and 416 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 1: accept that. I can only imagine that Joe and Pam 417 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: and Shariah and Shaya and Kobe, all of them presumed 418 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 1: that they would have more time, that they would have 419 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: an opportunity to reconcile, to be the same close knit 420 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: family that they were when Kobe was still in high school. 421 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 1: I can't imagine the what ifs and the might have 422 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: been that have been running through their minds, that run 423 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 1: through the minds of any parent who has had to 424 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: bury a child, especially when I hear this. It's a 425 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: clip of Kobe talking about the idea of getting into 426 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 1: an argument or a conflict with Joe and Pam, And 427 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:19,439 Speaker 1: of all those hours Jeremy spent interviewing Kobe, it's the 428 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:23,320 Speaker 1: most heartbreaking thing in any of these tapes. It's a 429 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 1: little simple to me. I grew up in Italy. I 430 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,080 Speaker 1: have any very reliable my sisters. One of my father 431 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: and I know from that he built such a strong relationship, 432 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: such a great fristship. We came back over here and 433 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 1: kind of take it into play a class. Me came 434 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: back get along with the boss, saying I hate online 435 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: Jim or whatever. I'm right away from home, like my 436 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 1: parents can't wait to get out. Um, I can't get home. 437 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: My mother, my father is really enjoyed. The family have 438 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: said that I have I know it's not gonna be 439 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 1: it forever, and that's why it's really important for my 440 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: mother and father to come out there they were so 441 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: I can enjoy the COMFORTA gotta working out. You gotta 442 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: working out that that's your mother. If I should bat 443 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: into his world, his world, how can you disrespect them? 444 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 1: There no whether you have an argument or whatever, mother 445 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 1: and father or messing up or child's messing up. But 446 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: it's tough things out before, it says now, and I 447 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: feel I feel out better as a person knowing that 448 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: that love is there that I take. No one's top 449 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 1: of me the top of the bird beats. That's the time. 450 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna enjoy them now while I ask them 451 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: to the fullest. Did you never know what can happen? 452 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: No day anything? Um? No, you never know what can happen. 453 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: After I talked to Jeremy on the day Kobe died, 454 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: I drove to a nearby elementary school, just ten minutes 455 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 1: away from my son Evans basketball game. Tip off was 456 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 1: We stood by the court waiting for a game to 457 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 1: finish so ours could start, and there was a buzz 458 00:30:56,600 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: among the parents and the kids. Did you hear can't 459 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: believe it, and his daughter Gianna too. There were how 460 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:09,640 Speaker 1: many people in the helicopter. God, it's so awful, so sad. 461 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 1: The news had been coming out in a trickle all day, 462 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 1: a drop of information here, a drop there. Out on 463 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: the court, there was a kid nine years old, maybe ten, 464 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: wearing a green uniform tank top over a white T shirt. 465 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: And Evan pointed out to me that the kid had 466 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,360 Speaker 1: a word written in black marker on one of his sleeves. 467 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 1: Kobe for men and women. He was the figure in 468 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: sports that made them want to pick up a basketball 469 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: and made the monomax sel in basketball with his drive 470 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 1: and his love for the game, and particularly here in 471 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, that will never be forgotten. Before my son's 472 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 1: game began, my phone buzzed. It was my editor at 473 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:52,719 Speaker 1: the Inquirer. I was expecting the call, Hey, we need 474 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: you to write a Kobe column. I don't know that 475 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: there was a sports columnist in America who wasn't writing 476 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 1: a Kobe column. That day. After Evans game, I got 477 00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 1: home and went up to my office, opened up my 478 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: laptop and tried to put the breath of Kobe's life 479 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 1: and the shock of his death in some perspective That's 480 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,480 Speaker 1: the cliche Columus and writers use in moments like that, 481 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 1: put it in perspective as if such a thing were possible. 482 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 1: So I sat down at the keyboard and with a 483 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 1: deadline looming, I wrote a ninety five word column and 484 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 1: it sounded like this. Kobe Bryant dead. That can't be. 485 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: Kobe is strong. Kobe is always smiling or scowling, and 486 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 1: both faces showed how strong he was. Kobe can't die. 487 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 1: Wasn't Lebron James just passing him on the NBA's all 488 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 1: time scoring list at the Wells Fargo Center the other night, 489 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 1: then speaking with eloquence and depth about Kobe's influence and 490 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:58,080 Speaker 1: effect on him. Wasn't he on Jimmy Kimmel's late night show, 491 00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 1: Charming and Smart, proud father talking about his daughter Gianna's 492 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 1: basketball career just the other night, a helicopter crash in 493 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: the middle of a Sunday and Gianna to what that 494 00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 1: can't be? But there it is? First on TMZ. Then 495 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:25,560 Speaker 1: one confirmation coming after another, Kobe Bryant gone at no, no, no, 496 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 1: So now do me a favor, and do yourself a favor, 497 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 1: and do someone you love a favor. If you're reading this, 498 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 1: Shut off your phone, close your laptop, or put the 499 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: paper down. Go to your wife or your husband, or 500 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:46,400 Speaker 1: your mother or your father, or most of all, your 501 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 1: son or your daughter and give them a hug, Call them, 502 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:55,440 Speaker 1: visit them, tell them you love them. Go to their 503 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:59,080 Speaker 1: basketball games and their dance recitals, or just stop by 504 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 1: for a beer a laugh. Turn off the trickle for 505 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:07,440 Speaker 1: a while, and remember what the lasting lesson of Kobe 506 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:23,880 Speaker 1: Bryant's life and death should be. It was difficult that 507 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,759 Speaker 1: day to consider Kobe Bryant's life in full, to dwell 508 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: on anything other than the tragedy of his death. He 509 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:35,239 Speaker 1: was gone, so was his daughter. So we're seven other 510 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:39,279 Speaker 1: people who have lives and loves and achievements of their own. 511 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 1: With the nearly two years of distance from that day, 512 00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: we can see more clearly, I think, what we ought 513 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:49,480 Speaker 1: to take away from his life and his career. We 514 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:54,000 Speaker 1: see the value of passion and determination and an unwavering 515 00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: belief in yourself. We see his singular and blinkered focus 516 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:02,960 Speaker 1: on becoming the back, and his resolute willingness to work 517 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: as hard and as long as he needed to achieve it. 518 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:10,440 Speaker 1: We see how the people around him fostered and encouraged 519 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:13,880 Speaker 1: that focus, and we see the cost of that focus, 520 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:18,400 Speaker 1: the entitlement, the self centeredness, and we see that that 521 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 1: cost can be steep. We see most of all, the 522 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:28,320 Speaker 1: everlasting effect that Kobe Bryant had and still has on 523 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: the people who knew him. For them, He'll never really 524 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:36,880 Speaker 1: be gone. He'll always be there, his scowl, his smile, 525 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: his breathtaking talent, his relentless desire and tireless will, the 526 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:47,320 Speaker 1: kid he had been, the man he was becoming. Forever. 527 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,640 Speaker 1: It has been absolutely beautiful. You guy. I can't believe 528 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:53,800 Speaker 1: it's comes to an end. Um, you guys will always 529 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 1: be in my heart and uh I sincerely, sincerely appreciated. 530 00:35:57,960 --> 00:35:59,879 Speaker 1: No words can describe how I feel about your guy, 531 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,160 Speaker 1: and uh thank you. Thank you from the bottom of 532 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 1: my heart. God, I love you guys, and uh I 533 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:15,480 Speaker 1: love you guys and my family, to my family, my 534 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 1: wife Vanessa, I thought it's not thali a Gianna. Thank 535 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:21,520 Speaker 1: you guys for all your sacrifice, you know, for all 536 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: the hours I's been in the gym working and training, 537 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:25,880 Speaker 1: and Vanessa, you holding down the family the way that 538 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:29,319 Speaker 1: you have. I can't there's no way I can thank 539 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:31,960 Speaker 1: you enough for that. So, from the bottom of my heart, 540 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:48,120 Speaker 1: thank you and uh, what can I say? Mombow? I 541 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:50,840 Speaker 1: Am Kobe is a production of the Version podcasts in 542 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 1: association with I Heart Radio. This season is written and 543 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 1: hosted by me Mike sealskin GE's, produced by Jacob Bronstein 544 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:02,800 Speaker 1: and directed by Mark Francis. Story editing by Jacob Bronstein 545 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:07,359 Speaker 1: with editorial direction from Scott Waxman, Editing, mixing and sound 546 00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 1: design by Mark Francis. Stephen Thompkins is our production assistant. 547 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:15,880 Speaker 1: Our theme music is Create Yourself by Grover Brown featuring 548 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:21,560 Speaker 1: Justin Starling. Find Create Yourself wherever you stream music. Music 549 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:26,799 Speaker 1: supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Freesan Sinking. Executive producers are 550 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:31,120 Speaker 1: Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Join the conversation about I 551 00:37:31,239 --> 00:37:34,719 Speaker 1: Am Kobe on social media on Twitter and Instagram. It's 552 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:39,840 Speaker 1: at Diversion Pods thanks to Orin Rosenbaum, Susan Cannavan and 553 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 1: Jeremy Treatment. The ibis before the son. They don't want 554 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:46,680 Speaker 1: to stand when I said to briand is fun. Never 555 00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:48,960 Speaker 1: clack you out even when my work is done. If 556 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,359 Speaker 1: they're trying to black me, I might Heart someone throw 557 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:53,799 Speaker 1: the blood sweat and say, as we parted, Sufi, stay 558 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,279 Speaker 1: tending in, let it keep varius in. If they don't 559 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:59,400 Speaker 1: believe in themselves, tablet to fit that at Santa says, 560 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:02,319 Speaker 1: so set, I don't ask my am. This the reason 561 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 1: why my work so damn different to the negatives. I 562 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:08,920 Speaker 1: can't listen see me at the tip, you can't listen 563 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 1: where I'm a vote to play like cash is see 564 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:15,400 Speaker 1: I pay my dudes because of taxes. Gotta work, I 565 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:17,719 Speaker 1: think and grind ahead of his time. So I'm saying 566 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 1: that they made you. Don't tell them you create yourself 567 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:24,759 Speaker 1: the besh you finn or watch us by this by 568 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:28,239 Speaker 1: that time you gotta stay clock then break clock break 569 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:33,080 Speaker 1: we create ourselves. Watch me question, watch me want to 570 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:41,040 Speaker 1: create myself? Exack climb, signs up and create yourself. Say nicey, 571 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,920 Speaker 1: ain't no hard to create yourself. You gotta learn from 572 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,239 Speaker 1: the great minds. But we ain't lying. Tell them that 573 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:51,880 Speaker 1: any time this talent wasn't given, it was made the future. 574 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,400 Speaker 1: Any time I could change better, tell them that I 575 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 1: made it. Back home. As I walked through the harts 576 00:38:57,200 --> 00:38:59,120 Speaker 1: of the fan, I can't from the valley of the 577 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,759 Speaker 1: shadow with death waiting for us. Some spoons don't hold 578 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:04,040 Speaker 1: your breath. The same town sat trains. But I did 579 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:06,040 Speaker 1: it with less. I know one that the being, so 580 00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:10,040 Speaker 1: there's nothing to guess. Yeah, there's nothing to guess. It's 581 00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 1: our times on the we up next. We don't got 582 00:39:12,719 --> 00:39:14,759 Speaker 1: any with rests. I did it with my soul hands, 583 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 1: and we never forgets my a. This the reason why 584 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:21,320 Speaker 1: my work so damn different to the negatives. I can't 585 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:24,960 Speaker 1: listen see me at the time. You can't listen for 586 00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:29,200 Speaker 1: where rebuild, re shape, give me your eye. You got 587 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:32,000 Speaker 1: to risk take do it now. When I'm saying why, 588 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:34,239 Speaker 1: waits im saying that they may you don't tell them. 589 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:38,520 Speaker 1: You create yourself on the bench, you finn watch us. 590 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:42,560 Speaker 1: Why it's by that time. You gotta steak clock then 591 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:48,080 Speaker 1: break clock break. We create ourselves. Watch me watch them 592 00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:56,239 Speaker 1: create myself. Shack climb, signs up and create yourself. Say nice, 593 00:39:56,520 --> 00:40:00,960 Speaker 1: ain't so hard create yourself. Gotta line pretty great minds, 594 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 1: but we ain't like telling. Let's getting time m HM. 595 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:30,400 Speaker 1: Diversion Podcasts