Shaq Shows Photo Of Him & Kobe As Old Men, Reveals He Lost Family To COVID-19

The world was left imagining what Kobe Bryant’s life would have looked like if he wasn’t tragically taken in that helicopter crash back in January. The NBA icon died alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven of their friends. Kobe’s family, friends, and fans are still reeling from the tragedy, including Shaq who recently spoke about his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate with Billy Bush from Extra.

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In the social distancing interview, Shaq is shown with a background of an illustration that shows himself with Kobe at a ripe old age. “I wish I had the [artist’s] name, but somebody sent this to me on Instagram and I got it blown up,” Shaq said of the enlarged photo. “Right now, I am using it as my virtual background, but this is what I would have liked to have happened. Twenty, 30 years from now, two old guys sitting around with their family and their grandchildren, just reminiscing about the great days.”

There has been much grieving in the O’Neal household as of late. Shaq called 2020 “a tough year” for everyone, but he’s been dealing with multiple losses. “I lost my sister first. Then I lost Kobe,” he said. “I also lost a couple relative to [COVID-19]. Lots of friends and family have had relatives that have passed on.”

Shaq wants to do a little something for first responders and people working on the front lines to help those suffering from COVID-19, so he’s partnering with Forto Coffee, a company that he’s an investor in. “We’re going to donate a million coffee shots because we know you are out there working your tail off… I want to say thank you to all the people on the front line. I really appreciate you.” Watch Shaq’s interview below.