Is there life for us after Kobe Bryant, superstar athlete and global hero?

For 20 years, Kobe flew over rims and took an entire city with him, thrilling audiences with a dynamism so raw that you could actually feel it from the other side of your telly

How? I’ve been asking myself the same question over and over again. How? How can Kobe Bryant be gone? Heroes are supposed to be immortal. They don’t die. They are supposed to outlive everything. They are supposed to be by your side, in trial and triumph. They are supposed to inspire you. They are supposed to offer you an escape route from the harsh realities of life and transport you to an unseen world filled with magic, hope and possibility. Heroes don’t die. Not like this, anyway. 

As writers, we are often discouraged from painting godlike portraits of athletes. We are