On Sunday, Jan. 26, a helicopter crash took the lives of nine people, including retired basketball player Kobe Bryant. All around the world, people have been mourning their deaths in various ways, from tributes at their game to pieces of artwork. Here are the reactions from several people around Bluffton’s campus regarding Bryant’s death.
Abbie Parkins Junior accounting and business administration double major. Photo courtesy Abbie Parkins
Abbie Parkins
“While I loved Kobe as a player, I also respected him so much as a human being. He was such a loving and caring father/husband and he left a huge legacy on multiple aspects of this world. If this event showed us anything, it showed us that time is fleeting and nobody knows how long we have on this earth. I cannot fathom the pain those families are enduring, and I hope I never have to.”
Takoda Pratt
Junior business administration and marketing double major Takoda Pratt. Photo by Audrey Bartel
“I’m devastated. Kobe Bryant was a family man who loved almost everyone. He was one of those guys who would push everyone to the absolute limit to get the best out of them. He was the guy that would take secret trips to the hospital to visit sick kids on away games. He was an amazing person, and it is a detrimental loss to the world, the basketball community, to everybody that Kobe Bryant affected.
Health, fitness and sport science department chair Tammi Forbes. Photo by Audrey Bartel
Tami Forbes
“I was very sad to hear about his death, as well as the other eight people who died. I think he had a lot of unfinished business on this earth and died way too soon.”
Dru Arasmith
“The death of Kobe hasn’t really hit me yet. It doesn’t really feel real. He’s the guy I looked up to the most growing up, so it’s hard to believe he’s gone.”
Junior criminal justice major Darian Greeley. Photo by Audrey Bartel
Darian Greeley
“He influenced me through his work ethic and how hard he pushed himself. His death was tragic and hard to believe. It makes me think about spending time with my own family and telling them I love them because you never know.”
Maddie Huffman
Maddie Huffman photo by Aubrey Bartel
“My family named our dog Kobe Bryant because he was an inspiration to our entire family. His death has been devastating to me.”
Junior nutrition and dietetics major Kylie Brock. Photo courtesy Kylie Brock
Kylie Brock
“Kobe dying has definitely made me look at life differently. It is so short & you never know what could happen, so it’s made me try to be thankful for each day as well as extremely thankful for my family. Overall, I also feel so saddened that one of the biggest supporters of women’s basketball is gone, because I know he made a ton of young female players feel inspired to actually take a risk and a leap of faith and put their all into the sport.”
