If there was one thing NBA star Kobe Bryant loved more than basketball, it was his four daughters. ESPN anchor Elle Duncan shared a heartfelt tribute and brought a much-needed perspective to the death of Bryant, who leaves behind three daughters and his wife.
The 41-year-old died on Sunday in a helicopter crash. His daughter Gianna also died in the crash, along with seven others.
In her tribute that has gone viral since it was posted, she reminisced about an encounter she had with Bryant backstage for an event for ESPN, where she was about eight months pregnant at the time. When she told Bryant she was expecting a girl, he gave her a high-five and said, “girls are the best.”
At the time Duncan met Bryant, he had three daughters, but admitted his wife Vanessa wanted another baby in the hope of having boy. When she asked Bryant how he would feel having another girl, without hesitation he said "I would have five more girls if I could."
Bryant had an unbreakable bond with his daughters, especially with his daughter Gianna who shared a love of basketball with her father. During a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel before his death, he said Gianna was going to continue his basketball legacy.
Summing it up perfectly, Duncan said Bryant died what loved doing most—being a devoted father and husband.
"The only small source of comfort for me, is knowing that he died doing what he loved the most: being a dad. Being a girl dad,” Duncan said as she choked back tears.
This story was originally published by Kaylyn Hlavaty at WEWS.
