Efren Andaluz was playing Xbox on the sofa one Sunday afternoon last January when his cousin interrupted with devastating news.
“What the heck? It says Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash,” Andaluz’s cousin said, pointing to a TMZ story on his phone.
“Stop playing with me,” Andaluz replied.
Some further Internet sleuthing revealed that this was no hoax. Kobe was gone, as was his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. Shocked and inconsolable, Andaluz slammed down his headphones and video game controller, let out an anguished scream and retreated to another room where he could be alone.