I wrote this a few years ago, forgive my delay … 🤦

Today was a bittersweet day.

My daughter Eva, who lives with multiple challenges, has been in the intensive care unit since the start of the year. Today I finally sensed that she is stable, and feel optimistic she will come home with us in time. Two weeks ago, I was preparing for the end.

As I heard this news of Eva’s improvement, I also heard news of the death of Kobe Bryant. This event is tragic, and I genuinely feel overwhelmed for his family and friends.

What makes me sad in the long run, Kobe appeared to be not just a successful sports legend, but one of a few Renaissance people in the making. It is my belief that the world needs more of these people.

In my definition, “Renaissance Person” is one who is successful in more than one area, and the degree of distinction among the relative areas of expertise, the greater the degree of Renaissance.

For example, Bruce Springsteen has demonstrated his abilities in music composition and performance, and has also successfully obtained an Oscar and a Tony. However, both of these awards involved music, his original area of expertise. He then wrote and published a book, which is also artistic but substantially different than writing music so he is on what I would consider an increasing trajectory of Renaissance.

Other examples include Bill Bradley, the senator who once played in the national basketball association; Mike Reed, the former Penn State Nittany Lion and Cincinnati Bengal linemen who also performed with the Cincinnati Symphony and composed music for Bonnie Raitt (I can’t make you love me); and Brian May, guitarist for the band Queen and PhD Professor of Astrophysics.

Is my understanding the idea of a Renaissance person is based on Leonardo da Vinci and his ability to master so many distinct disciplines.

The legend of Kobe Bryant as a basketball player does not need to be stated explicitly. However, what caught my eye was the Oscar he received for work in animation, I believe in 2018. I recall a story where they talked about his work to use graphic novels and animation in combination with sports to reach young people.

Is death today means that we will never see this second area of expertise realized, and we are all worse off because of it.

In unrelatedated news, Kobe is one of the two Philadelphia basketball Legends who hold a single game scoring record in the NBA, along with Wilt Chamberlain they have the top five highest scoring games.