Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Maria-Onore were among nine people who were killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, said Alex Villanueva, the Los Angeles County sheriff, during a news conference. Bryant was 41 while his daughter Gianna was 13.
The news was first reported by TMZ and later confirmed by Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Wojnarowski, Bryant was traveling with his daughter to Mamba Academy to participate in a basketball game when their helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California.
The crash started a brushfire that delayed first responders’ ability to reach the scene of the crash. There were no survivors, according to Villanueva.
Bryant played for the Lakers for 20 seasons and retired in 2016 as the highest point scorer in Lakers’ history. Both numbers he wore over his career, eight and 24, were retired by the Lakers upon his retirement.
Long-time teammate of Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, shared his reaction through an Instagram post.
“There are no words to express the pain I’m going through now with this tragic and sad moment of losing my niece Gigi & my friend, my brother… my dude and my homie.”
In a separate post, O’Neal said, “Kobe was so much more than an athlete … I miss you already brother. This is truly unbelievable.”
Upon hearing the news of Bryant’s death, former President of the United States Barack Obama tweeted, “Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant Family on an unthinkable day.”
The news came as a shock to many, including Mahonri Eteru, a sophomore from Australia majoring in psychology. Eteru said when he first heard the news, he thought it was a lie and didn’t believe it.
A sense of disbelief was a common experience among those who heard the news of Bryant’s death. Both Thomas Nebeker, a junior from California majoring in biology, and Austin Zacher, a sophomore from Montana majoring in exercise and sports science, said they didn’t believe the news when they first heard it.
Eteru said he found out Bryant had passed while he was on the phone with his uncle. After the initial shock, Eteru said his knowledge of the gospel and the Plan of Salvation put things in perspective.
“We are all human and have imperfections and frailties. But one thing that remains the same is God's love for his children. Death has no sting and God has a plan,” he said.
Zacher said he felt sad for the basketball world, and even more so for Bryant’s wife and the rest of the Bryant Family. “Kobe was so much more than a basketball player. He’s inspired so many kids, and now he’s just gone,” he shared.
He went on to say he felt worse for Bryant’s daughter because Bryant had already accomplished so much “but his daughter was just getting started, and she had her own story to write.”
Thinking about his life and sudden death brought Nebeker to tears while at church, he said. He described it as a moment you never forget and compared it to the sudden death of Michael Jackson.
“You can’t regret the life of someone so accomplished. You just have to remember it,” said Nebeker.
Bryant is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and three daughters, Natalia, Bianca and Capri.