Kobe Bryant Once Said He Had a 'Comfortable' Relationship with Death

NBA legend Kobe Bryant once said he had a “comfortable” relationship with death, in a 2016 interview.

Bryant, who died last Sunday in a tragic helicopter crash that also took the life of his 13-year-old daughter, Gigi, confided about his thoughts on death in a 2016 interview with The Ringer.

When asked what he thought about death, Bryant said his relationship with death was “a comfortable one.”

“It’s an understanding,” Bryant added. “You can’t have life without death. Can’t have light without the dark. So, it’s an acceptance of that.”

Bryant went on to say that he thought about his mortality when he was considering his retirement.

“When it came time to decide whether or not I should retire, [it was] really an acceptance of that mortality that all athletes face,” Bryant insisted. “And if you combat it, you’ll always have that inner struggle within yourself. … So … I’m comfortable with it.”

Bryant died on Sunday when his helicopter slammed into a hillside near Calabasas California, instantly killing him and the eight others on the flight. The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the accident to try and learn why it occurred.

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