Death of the legend: Kobe Bryant and his daughter die in a helicopter accident

If you thought of Monday being the most difficult day of the week, now you are very right! Earlier today, the legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant and his daughter were killed in the helicopter accident. 

Today approximately 10:00 AM, Kobe Bryan, his daughter Gianna, and nine other passengers have been killed in the accident, which happened in the city of Calabasas, California. Kobe Bryant was 41 and his daughter Gianna was only 13 years old. The names of the rest of the passengers are unknown yet, though they have already spread through social media. 

The investigation has already started and the sheriff of LA, said that there were no additional victims from the helicopter crash, but unfortunately there were no survivors in the accident. 

This definitely was not his first time talking about the helicopter as the transportation means, in order to avoid the traffic jam, but also definitely was the last one. 

Via different media channels, we can identify the names of the rest of nine passengers. Among them were the Orange Coast College basketball team coach, John Altobelli, his wife, and their 13-year-old daughter, who also was the friend and the basketball teammate of Gianna. One more passenger who is known to be on board is Christina Mauser, Gianna’s basketball school coach. 

One of the witnesses, Gavin Masak, who lives nearby defined the accident as a very loud and very frightening. He heard the terrible sound and then he saw the smoke on the hill. All that was left was a huge black cloud of smoke. Besides Gavin, there were some other witnesses who confirmed the terrible sound and the view they have seen in the morning. 

LA sheriff also shared the photos taken at the site. Currently, only the investigation team and firefighters are left on the place. The National Transportation Safety Board also has made the comment and identified the private helicopter, that took those valuable lives as the Sikorsky S-76. the Board also sent the team of investigators to the site. The entrance of people is prohibited, in order not to distract the investigation process. 

The world lost a hero

The famous basketball player was a five-time NBA champion, who played for the LA Lakers. Not only is he considered to be the best player in the team, but one of the best players in basketball history. Soon after his death note was spread, celebrities and his friends have been tributing him. Many of them experienced the shock and there were some moments of silence at the different basketball games in the US.

Alicia Keys, who is the host of the Grammy Awards also remembered Kobe Bryant on the awards ceremony. She said that this is an incredible and unbelievable loss for the whole world and that 26th January is the date when the whole world lost a hero. The awards also took place at the Staples Center, the Lakers’ Stadium. 

The National Basketball Association also expressed the devastation and support for Bryant’s family. In the statement, they have mentioned that through his entire career, which he dedicated to LA Laker, for 20 seasons, Kobe has shown incredible passion towards winning and his effort that he has put into the game is invaluable. 

The legend 

Kobe Bryant dedicated a whole 20 seasons to the LA Lakers and was one of the best players known to history. He retired in April 2016, though he has never lost the connection with the sports. He has also been actively involved in the career of his daughter Gianna, who shared the passion and love for basketball with her father. 

Kobe has been named as NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2008 and has also been named the NBA Finals’ MVP. Bryant won the Olympics two times and was the NBA scoring champion twice as well. His most famous score is 81 points. He scored points in the game against Toronto Raptors back in 2006. His score became the second-highest single game in the history of the NBA. 

As far as it seems, Bryant was way more talented then we would perceive him. He received an Oscar. The nomination was for the best short animated movie. He received an Oscar in 2018. The movie is about a love letter. As most of the teenagers and people write love letters to the people they love, Kobe wrote this love letter to the sports he had a great love and attachment to. The letter was written in 2015, though the animated movie was released only in 2018. 

He married his wife Vanessa Bryant in 2001, and since then they have been living together and had four daughters. Besides Gianna Maria-Onore, who was 13 years old, Bryant has left three daughters. Natalia Diamante, who is 17, Bianca Bella three years old and Kapri Kobe Bryant who is only 7 months old. She has the name of her father and let the memory live long!

It is also said that Kobe has been accused of sexual assault once. It was back in 2003. The basketball player was accused by a 19-year girl, who worked in the Colorado resort. He denied the accusation and said that the intercourse was not the assault but the will from them both. The case was closed after the 19-year-old girl refused to testify. Despite this, later Kobe made an announcement and publicly apologized. He said that he did not mean to assault her, but he previewed the act as the consensual sex and it has been clear that she did not share the same view on the incident. 

The accident happened only a day after another famous basketball player, LeBron James, passed Kobe Bryant with only 10 scores, in the total scored points. Kobe tweeted that LeBron has done a great job and congratulated him on his third position. 

Reaction 

Kobe was one of the most famous sportsmen and one of the most famous basketball players in history. Many people, his fans and celebrities grief for the huge loss. Some of them have posted his photos and posts on social media expressing their pain and sorrow. 

Once when Kobe was asked why he wore number 10, he said that because of the greatest football Messi, he wore number 10. Now it can be said that he was definitely Messi of Basketball. 

Several celebrities such as Shaquille O’Neal, Tony Parker have tweeted that they are in great pain for the loss and that they feel very sorry for the family. Shaquille posted “I love you and you will be missed.”

Deron Williams, the winner of the Olympic gold together with Bryant also said that he has been devastated and told that Bryant was one of the best competitors he has ever played against. Usain Bolt, also Olympic gold owner joined Deron with the kind words. 

Donald Trump, the president of the United States tweeted “He loved his family so much, and has such a strong passion for the future. The loss of his daughter, Ginna, makes this moment even more devastating.”

The former US president Barack Obama also said that “a legend on the court,…… just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act.”

A lot of people, including a friend of Kobe and a famous rapper Kanye West, model Chrissy Tiegen, and pop star Maria Carey have expressed their sorrow and devastation as well as support for the family and gratitude to the great legend.