Oda Kobiju Brajantu: "Bog najbolje zna, a ti si uvek bio Izabrani. Legenda koja nikad neće umreti"

- Nismo marili za er bolove, videli smo samo tvoju veličinu i prvenstvo koje ćeš nam osvojiti. Postali smo jedno, grad i njegov sin. Slavili smo te kad si leteo, i podržavali kada si padao. Dao si nam svoje srce, a mi smo ti zauzvrat dali naše. Ne zbog toga što smo bili fanovi Lejkersa, već zato što smo bili fanovi Kobija.

Ovo je jedna od strofa ode koju je novinar NBC Los Anđelesa Majkl Dž. Duarte napisao o NBA legendi Kobiju Brajantu, koji je, zajedno sa još osam ljudi, stradao u helikopterskoj nesreći u nedelju.

Kako je rekao, i samo odu inspirisao je Kobi.

- Dok sam tražio reči koje će mi pomoći da se oprostim od svog superheroja, setio sam se da je on napisao pesmu kada je trebalo da objavi da se oprašta od košarke. Ta pesma pretočena je u kratki film, koji je dobio Oskara. "Draga košarko" bio je Kobijev terapeutski način da se suoči sa tim da je njegova karijera igrača gotova. Ovo je pesma od mene, ali i od svih fanova iz Los Anđelesa (i celog sveta) koji su prema Kobiju osećali isto što i ja. Možda nam pomogne da zalečimo ranu - napisao je on.

U pesmi poručuje:

- Inspirisao si svet da prati svoje snove

I da viče "Kobi" svaki put kada si bacao

Ali život nekada nije fer.

Prerano smo te izgubili.

Bog zna šta je najbolje, a ti si uvek bio Izabrani

I mada te volimo svim srcem,

Naša ljubav nije mogla da te ovde zadrži.

Ali to je Ok.

Iako nismo spremni da te pustimo da odeš.

Želimo da znaš da ćeš nam nedostajati svakog dana.

I kada se osećamo tužnim i samim,

Čućemo tvoje reči i setićemo se Mamba puta

"Moraš da nastaviš dalje. Idi nogu pred nogu i osmehuje se".

Ti si uvek verovao da nije poenta u cilju, već u putu

A mi ne možemo da ti se pridružimo na ovom poslednjem.

Ali možemo da ti kažemo hvala iz dubine naših srca

I da zauzvrat naučimo lekciju

Da legenda kao ti nikada neće umreti.

Volimo te zauvek, Los Anđeles

Pesmu vam prenosimo u celosti:

Dear Kobe,

From the moment

You threw that alley-oop to Shaq

And won the first of five NBA titles

Including an 81-point game

And a 60-point swan song

All inside Staples Center

We knew one thing was real:

We fell in love with you.

Our love for you is eternal

As yours is in return

We feel it with every ounce of our spirit & soul.

As a confident 18-year-old

Already enamored with you

We didn't care about the air balls

We only saw greatness

And the championships you would bring.

And so we became one.

A city and its son.

We cheered you during the highs

And supported you during the lows.

You gave us your heart

And we gave you ours in return.

We watched you grow up

And stuck with you through thick and thin.

Not because we were Lakers fans

But because we were KOBE fans.

You were our idol

And became a real life superhero

Nobody made us feel more alive than you.

You inspired a world to follow their dreams

And to scream "Kobe!" every time they threw something away.

But life isn't fair sometimes.

And you were taken from us far too soon.

God only takes the best, and you were always the Chosen One.

And although we love you dearly

Our love alone couldn't make you stay.

And that's OK.

Even though we're not ready to let you go.

We want you to know now

That we will miss you every day.

So when we're feeling sad and lonely

We'll hear your words and remember the Mamba Way

"You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other and smile."

You taught us it's not about the destination

But the journey

And we can't join you on this final one.

But we can say thank you

From the bottom of our hearts

And teach you a lesson in return

That legends like you will never die.

Love you always,

Los Angeles

(Telegraf.rs/ NBC Los Anđeles)