During his early childhood, Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist went through the traumatic loss of his father at the age of three.
According to Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated, Kidd-Gilchrist carries a copy of the Lion King movie in remembrance of a special moment between himself and his father before his passing.
Kidd-Gilchrist is rummaging through his backpack on the 14th floor of the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles, searching for a DVD of The Lion King, which he carries almost everywhere he goes. His earliest memories are of watching the movie with his father, Michael Gilchrist Sr. He was Simba. His dad was Mufasa. They bought the stuffed animals. They recited the lines. In August 1996, a month before the boy’s third birthday, Michael Sr. was shot and killed in a still-unsolved murder on the east side of Camden, N.J. Michael says he remembers the last time they were together. “We were in bed,” he says, “watching The Lion King.” At the funeral, he slid the Simba doll into the casket.
There is a strong emotional bond to the movie for Kidd-Gilchrist as it keeps him connected with his father, helping him find solace in the situation by having a piece of his father around him at all times.
It essentially represents the last moments the 23-year-old can remember together before he lost his parent. This has also aided him to get to this point in his life and NBA career by carrying something that holds tremendous sentimental value.
The fact that he was able to push through not having his father in his life to become a successful, hardworking NBA player is a huge testament to him and his family ability to carry on despite the huge loss.
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