Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, 41 years old, died Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The accident also claimed the life of his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, who is aspiring to be a basketball star like her dad.
The pair was traveling to the Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, California, for a basketball game scheduled at noon when the crash occurred. Gigi was scheduled to be part of the game and the NBA legend was ready to provide full support. According to reports, the crash also claimed the life of another student and parent; though officials have not released the names of the victims as of press time.
Early reports revealed that the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter departed John Wayne Airport at 9:06 AM on Sunday, passed over Boyle Heights near Dodger Stadium, and circled over Glendale. But foggy conditions in the hills above the city of Calabasas in Los Angeles County affected the flight and the crash occurred shortly before 10 AM near Las Virgenes Road, south of Agoura Road.
The world mourns the loss of a beloved basketball star and his young daughter. He is survived by his wife Vanessa and their other three daughters: 17-year-old Natalia, 3-year-old Bianka, and Capri Kobe Bryant who was born just last June.
Tributes poured in for the Kobe, hailed as one of the best basketball stars of all time.
“Absolutely gutted. Kobe was a really good friend and I can’t imagine a world without him. My heart absolutely breaks for Vanessa and his daughters. There are no words,” wrote actress Olivia Munn.
“Most people will remember Kobe as the magnificent athlete who inspired a whole generation of basketball players. But I will always remember him as a man who was much more than an athlete,” wrote another basketball legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Watch the report here:
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
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| Rest in peace, Kobe and Gigi! |
Early reports revealed that the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter departed John Wayne Airport at 9:06 AM on Sunday, passed over Boyle Heights near Dodger Stadium, and circled over Glendale. But foggy conditions in the hills above the city of Calabasas in Los Angeles County affected the flight and the crash occurred shortly before 10 AM near Las Virgenes Road, south of Agoura Road.
The world mourns the loss of a beloved basketball star and his young daughter. He is survived by his wife Vanessa and their other three daughters: 17-year-old Natalia, 3-year-old Bianka, and Capri Kobe Bryant who was born just last June.
Tributes poured in for the Kobe, hailed as one of the best basketball stars of all time.
“Absolutely gutted. Kobe was a really good friend and I can’t imagine a world without him. My heart absolutely breaks for Vanessa and his daughters. There are no words,” wrote actress Olivia Munn.
“Most people will remember Kobe as the magnificent athlete who inspired a whole generation of basketball players. But I will always remember him as a man who was much more than an athlete,” wrote another basketball legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Watch the report here:
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
