GREENSBORO, N.C. — Many are mourning after the passing of Kobe Bryant. He died in a helicopter crash along with his daughter, Gianna and seven others near Los Angeles.
Bryant's impact stretches across the nation and even right here in the Triad.
According Greensboro Day School Coach Freddy Johnson, the school’s team was one of eight teams nationwide to play in the 2017 DICK’S Sporting Goods Nationals Tournament, and each team received a memorable message from Bryant.
Bryant addressed the Greensboro Day team in the gift by their nickname, the “Bengals”.
The message read:
“Bengals, You dominated North Carolina. Now the nation stands in your way. Be a menace up in NYC. Make them regret inviting the cats here. Let those higher seeds underestimate you, no, dare them to. Let them forget that you’re also champions. Because a new legacy is about to start. Show me that tiger style. That Mamba mentality.”
"It was such a big game, it was a national tournament you’re going up against a team I guarantee you nobody bet we’d win," Coach Johnson stated. "But we were able to knock off the number 2 team in the country."
Coach Johnson credits Kobe with the drive and motivation behind that win.
"I think my team believed we could win, but that letter from Kobe and the medal he gave all the kids that participated, that made a huge difference," Johnson said. "It gave them the confidence."
He says the letter means that much more, now that he's gone.
"I think it's really important, it's something we’re going to read every day and go over to remind ourselves that life is short and you want to try to accomplish what you can accomplish because you don’t know where you’re going to be the next day."
The cause of Sunday’s crash remains unknown but it has been reported the chopper was flying in very foggy conditions.
Conditions were dangerous enough that area police agencies grounded their helicopters.
The seven others who lost their lives in the crash have been identified as John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and Ara Zobayan.
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