Ellen DeGeneres teared up while talking about the death of Kobe Bryant on her show, which included a tribute to the NBA legend.
“Yesterday was supposed to be a celebratory day, and then we got tragic news about Kobe Bryant, and everything changed in a second,” the host said on her Tuesday show as she fought back tears. “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. Tell people you love them. Call your friends. Text your friends. Hug them. Kiss them.”
Bryant, 41, died Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. The crash occurred while other choppers had been grounded because of fog in the area.
The basketball superstar was a repeated guest on Ellen’s show, including his first interview after he retired in 2016. He went on the show for the last time in April.
Ellen, 62, then played a montage of Bryant’s appearances on her show.
