AUGUST 23, 1978 – JANUARY 26, 2020
Only two months ago the news shocked the world, Kobe Bryant had been killed in a helicopter crash… those headlines, the outpouring of grief and the images from memorials have now been thickly veiled by the coronavirus that has taken over the media and changed our lives in so many ways.
By taking a look back at this photo from very recent history, it’s nice to see the beauty of this gathering of fans paying their respects – the vibrant color and the mass of people there together as one – it feels so normal and real… until you look away and snap back to the realities of today.
We will gather together again, hopefully soon, after this crisis has passed. And, maybe the quarantine will give us all a new perspective and appreciation for simply being together to celebrate, life and death.
Bryant entered the NBA directly from high school, and played his entire 20-season professional career in the league with the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, was named the 2008 NBA MVP, and was a two-time NBA Finals MVP winner. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he led the NBA in scoring during two seasons, ranks fourth on the league’s all-time regular season scoring and all-time postseason scoring lists.
Bryant died at age 41 along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
Photo by MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images
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Southern Calls Issue 27
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Articles Relating to Issue 27
Issue 27 Available Now
It’s all about the B’s for our latest issue… from the small Southern town of Bremen, Georgia, to urban downtown Baltimore, Maryland and out to a cattle pasture in Brewton, Alabama we cover a broad range of People, Places, and Passions – and there’s even real Bees (see Passions article). The photos are compelling, the stories are moving, and they’re all told from a Funeral Director’s Perspective. There’s only one place you can find inspiration like this, Southern Calls – The Journal of the Funeral Profession.
Patty Hutcheson, CFSP | A Journey of Love & Life
The definition of professional success is subjective. For a funeral director, it might be determined by job security, salary or seniority. An owner, perhaps, could measure triumph by consecutive years in business, call volume or gross revenue. Patty Hutcheson, CFSP,…
Jarrod Heath Wilson | A Man of Many Layers
If you’ve never been to Brewton, Alabama, you may not know this city of 5,100 is on the border of Central Alabama and the panhandle of Florida. You also might not know that Alabama’s Blueberry Festival is held here annually or that Kevin Sumlin, former coach of the…
The New Tradition | Joseph H. Brown, Jr. Funeral Home
“The impediment of action becomes action. What stands in the way becomes the way,” says Joseph H. Brown, III, quoting Marcus Aurelius. Joe laughs ironically because he doesn’t allow anything to stand in the way of his vision. When Joe couldn’t secure financing…
