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Kobe Bryant's death hits Xennial generation, who grew up with him

My phones have been buzzing and vibrating, blipping and chirping since the news was confirmed that Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash Sunday in Southern California at the age of 41.

It’s like that with some stars.

We don’t want to let them go, because to do that would be to lose a bit of ourselves. You’ll forgive my generation — born analog, matured digital — if we take this one harder than most.

We haven’t been through it before. Not like this.

We grew up with Kobe — I know I did.

The Achilles tear

September 2016

GILBERT There was pain ripping through me so intensely that I wanted to vomit.