ESPN broadcaster Mike Breen lost his home to a fire last September, and with it a countless number of priceless NBA memorabilia. Despite the losses, however, Breen’s wife was able to salvage one particularly meaningful memento.
Breen spoke to Marcus Thompson III of The Athletic about the aftermath of the fire and how touched he had been by the widespread support he received. One of the items in Breen’s home was a custom jersey with the name “The Gray Mamba” on the back that ESPN had given him in 2014. Breen had had the jersey signed by Kobe Bryant, who wrote “From one Mamba to another” when doing so. The jersey was assumed lost in the fire.
Months later, Breen’s wife Roseanne surprised him with the jersey, which she had found among the ruins of the home. She had sent it off to be refurbished and restored before giving it back to him.
Breen’s home on Long Island was destroyed in the fire, but no one was home at the time, preventing any injuries or fatalities. It is pretty heartwarming that at least some of his memorabilia could be saved, including one as priceless as this.
