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Kobe Bryant Dies in Helicopter Crash: Report

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Kobe Bryant is reportedly dead after a helicopter accident.

Kobe Bryant has died at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, TMZ reports. Five people were killed in the crash the morning of Sunday, January 26, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The 41-year-old NBA legend was one of four passengers, according to reports. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

The other victims have not been identified. According to TMZ, Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, was not among those on the helicopter. Bryant and his wife have four daughters.

NBA legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on the morning of Sunday, January 26, per TMZ. Bryant was traveling with at least three other people and the cause of the crash is being investigated.

TMZ was the first to report Bryant’s death. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed the report that Bryant was among those dead in the helicopter crash. “Kobe Bryant is among those dead in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles, a source confirms to ESPN,” Wojnarowski tweeted.

Heavy will continue to update this page as more details on Bryant’s death are announced. On the eve of his passing, LeBron James passed Bryant on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Bryant took to Twitter to congratulate James on the achievement in what would be his final post.

“Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother 💪🏾 #33644,” Bryant tweeted.


The Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Office Said the Helicopter Crashed in a Hillside Area

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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department reported there was a crash with five people dead and no survivors.

“Five people confirmed deceased, no survivors in #Calabasas helicopter crash. #LASD #Malibu deputies remain with #LA County Fire personnel. Investigation ongoing. Avoid the area until further notice,” the L.A. County Sheriffs’ office tweeted.

Los Angeles County also sent out a series of tweets describing the crash as well as photos of the crash scene.

“#Breaking Abt: 10AM Reports of downed aircraft on hillside at Las Virgenes Rd & Willow Glen St #Calabasas. #LASD #Malibu Deputies on scene. Unknown condition of occupants(s)…#Update Downed aircraft is a helicopter. Flames extinguished. #Malibu deputies at crash site looking for survivors, 4200 blk Las Virgenes Rd #Calabasas #LASD,” L.A. County noted in prior tweets.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement saying, “A S-76 helicopter crashed this morning under unknown circumstances near Calabasas, Calif. Local authorities say that five people were on board. … The FAA and the NTSB will investigate.”


Bryant Was a 5-Time NBA Champion With the Lakers

 

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant

 

Kobe Bryant played his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA titles. He retired in 2016 as the third all-time scorer in NBA history. His mark of 33,643 points was surpassed just before his death by current Lakers star LeBron James.

Bryant, born in Philadelphia, joined the Lakers directly from high school in 1996 and made an immediate impact. Bryant became a transcendent sports star and an international celebrity.


Kobe Bryant Was Known to Travel by Helicopter, Including During His Playing Career

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Kobe Bryant was traveling on a helicopter he used frequently, including during his playing career, according to FlightRadar.com data. The S-76 helicopter with tail number N72EX had taken off from John Wayne Airport at 9:06 a.m. local time and was headed to El Monte San Gabriel Airport in El Monte, California.

In 2016, TMZ wrote that Bryant would use the helicopter to get from his home in Orange County to the Staples Center and planned to continue to use it after his playing career ended.

GQ wrote in 2010:

Bryant also used the helicopter to treat his teammates to weekends in Las Vegas, to fly to victory celebrations and even to take a teammate to a doctor’s appointment to avoid traffic.

Kobe Bryant’s Kids: He Had Four Children With Wife Vanessa Bryant

Kobe Bryant Instagram

Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, had four children with the late NBA star. Their youngest daughter, Capri, was born in 2019, and their oldest, Natalia, turned 17 years old a week before Bryant died.

According to a breaking news report by TMZ on Sunday, Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash early Sunday morning. He was reportedly traveling with four other people at the time of the crash, but none of his immediate family members were initially believed by TMZ to have been in the private helicopter at the time of the crash. Details on the tragedy are still emerging, though, and there have been conflicting reports about whether any of his family members were involved in the crash. You can learn more about Bryant’s death here.

For Halloween in 2019, the Bryant family dressed up in a Wizard of Oz theme. You can see a photo of the adorable family outfit below.

Here’s what you need to know about Bryant’s kids and wife:


Bryant Was Married to Vanessa Bryant at the Time of His Death

 

Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, has a private Instagram account with 1.9 million followers. According to Bryant, he met his wife in 1999. Bryant was 21 years old at the time, and Vanessa was 17 years old. According to an E! True Hollywood Story profile of Bryant, he proposed to her six months after they first met, and they did not sign a prenuptial agreement. Vanessa’s name prior to marrying Bryant was Vanessa Laine; she’s half Irish and half Mexican, per E! True Hollywood Story.

Vanessa and Bryant were married in 2001. They filed for divorce in 2011, but would go on to announce their decision to stay together in 2013.

According to a Los Angeles Times profile of Vanessa, she was recruited to appear in music videos as a teenager, and she would go on to meet Bryant through their shared appearances and connections in the music industry. The pair announced their engagement at her 18th birthday. Bryant’s parents didn’t attend their 2001 wedding, per the publication.


Kobe & Vanessa Had Four Children Together, All Daughters

 

In 2019, Kobe announced the upcoming birth of their fourth daughter, Capri Kobe. Their three other daughters are Natalia Diamante, Gianna Maria-Onore, and Bianka Bella. Bryant’s oldest, Natalia, turned 17 years old a week before his shocking death.

Natalia Bryant was born in January 2003. Then, Vanessa suffered a miscarriage in 2005, due to a reported ectopic pregnancy. Then, in May 2006, Vanessa gave birth to their second daughter, Gianna.

Vanessa and Bryant had their third and fourth daughters after they called off their divorce in 2013. Their third daughter, Bianka, was born in 2016, and their fourth and final daughter, Capri, was born in June 2019.


Their Youngest Daughter, Capri Kobe, Was Born in June 2019 & Named After Bryant

 

Bryant and Vanessa welcome their youngest daughter, Capri, into the world on June 20, 2019. Bryant announced the birth of his fourth daughter with an adorable photo posted to Instagram, of the tiny Capri wrapped in cotton candy.

Bryant wrote, “Our little princess Capri Kobe Bryant “KoKo” 6/20/19 ❤️”

To Extra in an interview in the fall of 2019, Bryant revealed that Capri had been their “best baby” so far. He said, “She has been our best baby. She sleeps like six hours. She’s an absolute sweetheart.”

When asked whether he and Vanessa would try for a boy, Bryant replied, “It’s Vanessa’s decision to make. She wants a boy more than I do. I’m comfortable having girls. It drives her crazy when I say that — she says, ‘We’re gonna get five girls ’cause you spoke it to existence.’”


Bryant’s Daughter, Gianna AKA Gigi, Has Her Father’s Basketball Chops

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Bryant’s daughter, Gianna, also known as “Gigi,” has shown her father’s athletic talent from a young age. With her father constantly present and cheering her on from the sidelines, Gianna attracted online attention for her Mamba-like moves, though she’s only 13 years old.

Per TMZ, Bryant had stated in the past that his daughter was “hellbent” on playing college basketball for the University of Connecticut, a historical powerhouse for women’s basketball. To The Courant, in April 2018, Bryant said of his daughter’s UConn obsession, “She watches their interviews, watches how they play and learns — not just in wins, but in tough losses, how they conduct themselves. It’s great, as a parent, to be able to see my daughter pull inspiration from them.”


Bryant Frequently Paid Tribute to His Wife & Daughters on Instagram

 

During the years of his retirement, Bryant frequently posted photos and tributes of his family. For Mother’s Day 2019, Bryant posted a photo of his entire family, along with a very pregnant Vanessa, who would soon give birth to Capri.

Bryant wrote, “Happy Mother’s Day @vanessabryant we love you and thank you for all that you do for our family. You are the foundation of all that we hold dear. I love you #mybaby #lioness #mamabear #queenmamba”

In an ABC News interview in 2019, Bryant explained how being a father to all daughters had changed him as a man. While promoting a new children’s book called Legacy and the Queen about a young girl who plays tennis, he said, “I have four girls at home…it’s important that they see characters that look like them, and that they see athletes.”

Bryant continued with a smile, “They get tired of my voice, of [me saying], ‘Be persistent, work hard, believe in yourself.’ They’re kind of like, ‘Okay, dad, I get it.’ So when I can put them into stories like that, hopefully they’ll get that same message without hearing it [from their dad] all the time.”



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