As someone from Lower Merion, Kobe’s alma mater, it is difficult to go more than a week without the mention of Kobe Bryant. We have a shrine to him, a gym donated by him and named after him, and every girls and boys basketball player wears a custom pair of Maroon Kobes on the court. Beyond his generosity, many of my high school’s faculty and staff members who taught me also had the chance to teach, coach, and mentor Kobe during his days at Lower Merion High School. At Lower Merion, Kobe represented a strong work ethic, resilience, and grit; athletic, academic or otherwise. The loss of him, his daughter Gianna, and all those in the helicopter has shaken me and the entire Lower Merion community. The man and his impact will be forever missed while the memory of Kobe Bryant will be cherished for years to come.
