RIP Kobe

Kobe Bryant died today 27th of January 2020 and was Survived by his wife and 3 children as he and his daughter Gigi died in a helicopter accident. He was 41 years old.

As a self-confessed basketball tragic this is really made an impact on me and I feel it’s like how when Princess Diana died what people of earlier generations have described that feeling as.

It feels like such a tragedy than someone who was so cherished and achieved so much in the basketball world to pass away.

But, it is a tragedy for anyone who is 41 years old to pass away and I can’t help but feel that from my role as a financial adviser that it becomes something that we need to discuss with our clients, being the things can happen to them, and to not be ignorant to the risks that we all face.

I’m aware that the come back to this would be that we won’t die in a helicopter accident, and it is also true that they won’t be all throughout the news several weeks after analysing every detail of their life. But I can’t stop thinking that there’s a wife who’s just lost a daughter and a husband, three sisters lost a father and a sister, and how in the world can they try and move forward for life which will no longer be normal.

People will say that financially they will be okay and they will have a community of people to look after them and I believe that that is true. What would happen for the normal person who is a 41 year old? I wonder if they will have the appropriate level of insurance considering financially they probably won’t be able to fund the dreams they had laid out together before one of them were no longer here.

If there’s anything that I’ve learnt today we’re not invincible, don’t look at your phone when you’re driving, don’t have a few drinks and then drive, don’t take things for granted. Kobe in 41 years achieved a lot more than some people will in their entire life, however in the event that other people suffer a tragedy like this, a family tragedy, I hope they can ensure that they have the right level of insurance in place and estate planning documents in order through the most terrible time you could ever imagine you might make it a little bit easier for your surviving family to try and somehow in some way move on just a little bit easier knowing that your life has just been torn apart at the Seams – Kobe Bryant was invincible, or so we all thought.

I look at my own situation at 38 years old with 3 children and my fourth on the way, and my wife who I rely on for everything and I cannot fathom what life would be like if tragedy struck. I still have so much I want to achieve and see in this world, and show my kids.

If I have learnt anything over my time as an adviser it is that family is the most important thing. We would always protect our families from danger, but sometimes danger comes in a disguise dressed as ‘i’ll get around to it later’.

Today was a tragic day. RIP Kobe.

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