celebrity

"Life is short and it's fragile." Ellen DeGeneres' powerful message after Kobe Bryant's death.

 

On Sunday, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among nine people killed in a tragic helicopter crash.

The 41-year-old, who is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, was heading to basketball practice with a group of sports coaches, parents and teenagers when the helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain in Calabasas, California.

Bryant and his daughter both died in the accident, along with the helicopter pilot and six other passengers, including two young friends of Gianna.

Clippers Head Coach Doc Rivers talking about former opponent Kobe Bryant’s death. Post continues after video.

Since the news broke, tributes have been trickling in from celebrities, friends and fans alike.

In Los Angeles alone, a number of murals and public memorials have been erected to remember the father and daughter duo. Outside the Staples Center, the home of the LA Lakers, a memorial honouring the NBA great continues to grow.

And on social media, people from around the world have remembered the much-loved player.

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But overall, among fans, celebrities and family and friends alike, the sentiment has been clear – life is incredibly short and incredibly unpredictable.

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Returning to her talk show following Bryant’s sudden death, Ellen DeGeneres perfectly articulated what so many people are feeling this week.

“Thank you for being here,” she said.

“I appreciate it today more than ever, more than I did yesterday, and tomorrow I will appreciate it more than today because life is short,” she continued.

“I have mentioned before that we tape the show in advance, and we taped yesterday’s show last week. Today is Monday, and yesterday was Sunday. It happened to be my birthday and the Grammy Awards. I was nominated, I didn’t win. Not the point.

“Yesterday was supposed to be a celebratory day, and then we got the tragic news about Kobe Bryant, and everything changed in a second. And that’s what I want to talk about.”

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In her speech, Ellen called on her viewers to be thankful for every single day.

“Life is short, and it’s fragile, and we don’t know how many birthdays we have. So just – you don’t have to have a birthday to celebrate. Just celebrate life. And if you haven’t told someone you love them, do it now. Do it,” she said.

“Tell people you love them. Call your friends. Text your friends. Hug them. Kiss them. Be nice to people at the DMV. They’re people. Be nice to them,” she continued.

“I love each and every one of you. I know that you wait for tickets. And you get here, and you pick out your TV outfits, and you do your TV hair, and I appreciate it very much. And I know that I am lucky to have a wife who loves me so much even though I don’t have a Grammy. I get to come to work every single day with people who make me laugh.”

It’s a sentiment that Bryant himself has echoed in the past.

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“Have a good time. Enjoy life. Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged,” the basketball legend said in an interview in 2008.

“You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.”

Feature Image: YouTube.

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