Wednesday 26 February 2020 11:23, UK
Tom Brady has posted a personal letter on social media about how he has been 'deeply affected' by the death of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash last month.
Brady posted the letter titled "What's really important?" the day after the memorial to Bryant at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
In the letter Brady wrote of how the "outpouring of love and support for the families helped me reflect and gain perspective."
"In this tragedy I have learned so much," Brady continued. "Why has this touched me in the way that it did? Why has it kept me up at night, and brought so many tears?"
"In Kobe, we were able to witness the man in the arena. For many of us, sports show what we are made of, they define our personalities and emotions.
"We cannot hide from the good or the bad, from the wins or the losses...the joy and despair, the happiness and the pain.
"What you see is what it is, we aren't actors. We have found a real life stage where we become vulnerable to the world and judged based on the outcome of each performance. And we care deeply about what we do.
"For some, these days are the pinnacle of their life, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it's clear to me, for Kobe, that was how he lived his life in every way. In his second chapter, you saw even more."
"His mere presence had an effect on everybody he was around," Brady added. "He had the energy to recognise in others what they could not recognise in themselves.
"I think that's why I'll miss him most. Because we all know the world needs more of that leadership and positivity.
"We recognise that he was doing the work that others don't want to or simply can't do. The world we live in is full of people telling kids and adults 'you can't', 'you shouldn't', 'you won't', or 'you never will.'
"The world we live in is teaching EVERYONE to fear, to worry, to shame or to give up. And that's the opposite of what Kobe stood for.
"That's what made Kobe a real superhero. He spoke about mentality with such conviction, about the idea that if you truly believed in something you could achieve it...you could overcome the obstacles in your path.
"And not just that, he walked the walk and did the work. He pushed others to find that same confidence. He was the real life superhero our world needs.
"That's what we all miss. That's why we hurt. Because we know that he was always fighting against the norm. He was doing more than his share. Now who is going to do the work that is still here to be done?
"Who is going to fight and break the norms with love and joy and inspiration? Who is going to discard fear and doubt and hate?
"Who is going to carry the load and be the superhero that he was? The answer is simple to me, ALL OF US.
"Decide to make the change in yourself. If there is anything I have learned and been inspired by through this tragic event, it is this, SEIZE THE DAY.
"That's what Kobe always did and that's what he wanted for us too."
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