Dwyane Wade is in mourning.
Much like the rest of the world, the retired Miami Heat shooting guard has been left reeling at the news of NBA legend Kobe Bryant's sudden death on Sunday, Jan. 26 in a devastating helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. that took not only his life, but that of his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. And as he grapples with his grief over the shocking loss, he's taken to social media to share his thoughts in a series of tearful videos posted to his Instagram story.
"Today is one of the saddest days in my lifetime. It seems like a bad dream that you just want to wake up from. It's a nightmare," he began. "I know we're all feeling the same way about such a great—he's a great leader, he's a great champion, he's a great person. If you got to know Kobe, you got a chance to really know Kobe, ain't nobody better, man. Emotions are all over the place. These are the moments you ask why."
After sharing that his "heart and thoughts" went out to Bryant's family in their very trying time, Wade shared that his family, which includes wife Gabrielle Union, had been spending their time sharing stories about the fallen legend. "We got so many moments that he's given us. We're so thankful for those. I'm thankful for those moments, man. He was one of my favorite players. And I got a chance to have a relationship, a friendship. And I'm gonna miss it. I'm gonna miss the friendship."
Wade continued his tribute to Bryant by admitting that when he entered the NBA, it was the L.A. Laker's legacy he was chasing. "I wanted to chase him. That's who I chased. I wanted to be respected by him and once I reached that level, I knew I did something. Kobe, thank you, man. Thank you for all the memories. We had a lot of good ones."
"And these tears that we're crying, we're gonna miss you. And it's not gonna go," he concluded. "It's not leaving today, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now. We will forever, forever miss you, man. You are a legend. You're our icon. You're a father. You're a husband. You're a son. You're a brother. You're a friend. Thank you for being my friend."
Our thoughts remain with Bryant's family, and the families of all those who were taken too soon in today's accident.