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Heartfelt messages from athletes before their untimely death. The sports world sees more than its fair share of triumphs and tragedies. Nothing excites us more than witnessing athletes defy the odds and achieve the peak of success!
On the other side of the coin, we cry when fate gives us a reality check. Just like most walks of life, sports fans see some of their favorite heroes leave this earth way too soon. These messages from athletes before their untimely deaths serve as poignant reminders.
Heartfelt messages from athletes before their death
Here are some of the most heartfelt messages before their death. Here are some of the saddest final moments from athletes right before we never heard from them again.
Steve McNair
The revered quarterback left the football world in mourning. In his final moments, McNair was actually texting the woman who killed him later that night. His big heart always shined, even in his final messages when he helped his killer with her financial problems.
He gave her a couple of thousand dollars right before we never saw him again. When he visited her that night, she killed him. She was losing her grip on reality and worried about McNair and another woman. Shortly after she killed him, she killed herself.
John Madden
Widely considered the face of football, Madden was a coaching and broadcasting legend. At 85 years old, his death didn’t come as a surprise, though it was sad nonetheless. In his final message, Madden reminded us to treasure each day, recognize the preciousness of time, and take care of ourselves.
John Madden’s remarkable career and contributions to football served as a gentle reminder to live life to the fullest. We need to appreciate the moments we share with loved ones because they won’t last forever.
Anthony Johnson
Another star in the sports world, Rumble Johnson, left this earth with nothing but positivity. He was encouraging another fighter and helping him with his technique right before his untimely death.
With a desire for his legacy to live on, he implored everyone to stay strong and chase their dreams. Johnson’s departure serves as a reminder to always strive for greatness and help one another instead of tearing each other down.
Roy Halladay
Halladay went out in an Amelia Earhart fashion, as his passion for aviation ended in a fatal accident. He managed to express sorrow to his wife for taking a plane ride instead of joining her that day.
He planned to meet up with her at their son’s recital that afternoon, but unfortunately, that never happened. Before he could land the plane safely, he crashed into the water on the Gulf Coast shortly after his exchange with his wife.
Junior Seau
The sudden suicide of Junior Seau featured perhaps the most chilling message on this list. The day before he took his own life, he sent one final message to his wife and kids. The message simply said, “I love you,” one last time before the family never saw him alive again.
Seau’s legacy as a football star and CTE victim inspires us and scares us at the same time. Football is a spectacular yet dangerous and taxing sport. Many beloved athletes leave their cleats on the turf and never recover mentally or physically.
Kobe Bryant
The beyond legendary Black Mamba left the world in shock when a helicopter accident took his life one Sunday morning. Kobe’s death was not only an earthquake in the world of American sports. It shook the entire world across all professions and art forms.
Countries all over the world stopped and expressed their sorrow for his passing. Soccer, baseball, and all other sports events expressed their remorse for the late great Mamba.
During his final game, he shared a heartfelt final message with his fans. He expressed his gratitude for their undeniable support throughout his entire career. He told us how much he loved us and how he would see us soon, then coined the phrase, Mamba out.
His parting words echoed worldwide during his retirement, then echoed again when he died. As a Lakers and Kobe fan myself, it felt like a superhero died right before our eyes. He seemed immortal and larger than life.
The Black Mamba’s Last Farewell
Kobe’s death took a long time to process and accept as a reality. The entire world seemed to fall apart following his passing, as the global Covid 19 pandemic shut the world down just one month later.
It was sad enough seeing him retire from basketball, especially because he did the most Kobe thing ever in his last game. He dropped 60 points in a Lakers win over the Utah Jazz, despite his legs almost giving out on every play. The old injured Mamba was clearly running on fumes, yet he managed to give everything he had one last time.
To put it in perspective, most basketball players don’t even reach 50 points in a single game throughout their career. To many, Kevin Durant is the best scorer in the league, and yet he has never scored more than 55 points throughout his prime. We got to witness Kobe Bryant score 60 points in his last game, well past his prime and after countless injuries.
Kobe’s Inspirational Final Game
His determination to perfect his craft was nothing short of inspiring to his fans and even his haters. Even those who hated Kobe’s guts couldn’t deny that his drive was nothing short of inspirational.
His journey off the court seemed to be the beginning of another beautiful chapter. In classic Kobe fashion, he continued to win and shatter expectations in his retirement. Just two years after his last NBA game, he won an Oscar for his beautiful short film titled “Dear Basketball.”
This heartfelt farewell to the beloved sport was yet another tear-jerking glimpse into Kobe’s heart. He expressed his readiness to let go of a sport that he had focused on for almost his entire life up until that point.
There is power in understanding the journey of others to help create your own.
Dear Basketball
Although Kobe’s passing will never sit right in our hearts, at least Kobe left us with multiple goodbyes to hold on to. His heartfelt speech during his final game said goodbye to the fans, and his short film said goodbye to basketball. Although we will never see him again or hear his Hall of Fame speech, his legacy will always live on in our hearts.
Remember to always strive to be the best version of yourself. Whatever you attempt, give your 110% best effort, and always remember to yell KOBE when pulling up for the jump shot.
Kobe’s Farewell Speech
The messages and legacies from these athletes remind us that life is, among other things, unpredictable. We must continue to push forward while remembering to treasure every precious moment. While we keep these fallen soldiers in our minds and hearts, their legacies will never die.
Athletes’ emotional, heartfelt messages before their deaths will always live on in our hearts. As we continue to follow our passions, let us remember these messages. Live life with gratitude, compassion, determination, and, most of all, love and appreciation. Mamba out!