Is it the same as losing one of my own? No, not quite, but when you follow someone's career for a long time, psychologically you grow a bond with the person, so there will be a sense of loss even if you did not truly know them personally.
For me, Harry the K had more of a sense of personal loss because of the degree to which my childhood fandom was tied to his voice. With Kobe, it's more of a "wow" because of his youth and the more unexpected manner of death, as well as empathy for the families involved and their tragic loss.