As many across the country continue to mourn the death of NBA star Kobe Bryant, and a Karns City graduate is fondly recalling a generous gift from the former Laker.
Brady Patsy was working at Disney World in 2008 when he had a chance to offer Kobe Bryant and his family a tour of the facility.
“We spent the day together at the Magical Kingdom, and he was asking me where I was from, and I said ‘East Brady,'” Patsy said. “As it turns out he knew the location, because of Jim Kelly.” East Brady is the hometown of the former Buffalo Bills quarterback.
Patsy said he and Bryant were discussing the annual Riverfest in East Brady. Patsy told Bryant that this would be the first Riverfest he would ever miss.
The day ended and Patsy was scheduled to finish giving the Bryant family a tour of the Disney World. As it turns out, Bryant came bearing gifts.
“When they were leaving the park, Kobe gave me an envelope,” Patsy said.
Patsy said Disney employees aren’t allowed to accept tips, and he gratefully declined. Bryant, though, insisted that Patsy open the envelope.
“So I opened it, and it was a round-trip ticket from Orlando to Pittsburgh so I could go home to Riverfest,” Patsy said.
Patsy is now the Conservatory Director for the Pittsburgh Musical Theater, and he appreciated Kobe’s commitment to the arts.
“He was an advocate for the arts. He absolutely loved arts education,” Patsy said. “He told me a lot of professional athletes are taking ballet classes and things like that. It was awesome to hear.”
Bryant and eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter, died in a helicopter crash Sunday in Los Angeles.
Photo by WDPG share 
