Kobe Bryant was a basketball legend, but as a result of a plane crash, he and the other passengers of the private helicopter died. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office later stated that no one survived. More about the tragic event that happened in 2020 will be told by la-future.
What is known about the crash
On January 26, 2020, at 9:06 a.m., a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter took off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. The group was flying to Camarillo Airport in Ventura County for a basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks. At that time, the weather conditions were unfavorable for the flight; there was light rain and fog. Therefore, most aircraft were grounded.
At 9:30 a.m., Ara Zobayan contacted the Hollywood-Burbank Airport control tower. At this time, the helicopter was circling over Glendale, California, due to heavy traffic. He reported the situation, to which he was told that he was flying too low for radar tracking. The helicopter got into heavy fog and turned south towards the mountains. At 9:45 a.m., the private helicopter crashed in a remote field near Las Virgenes, in Calabasas, California. All passengers died on impact. No one on the ground was injured.
Later, residents remembered the moment of the helicopter. According to them, it sounded like a loud rumble, not an explosion. After that, residents saw gray smoke on the hill. The National Transportation Safety Board identified the crashed helicopter as a Sikorsky S-76B. A group was then sent to investigate the crash. At that time, police officers asked people to stay as far away from the crash site as possible so as not to interfere with the investigation.
It is worth noting that Kobe Bryant often flew in a private helicopter. This is how he got around traffic jams in Los Angeles.
Passengers
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said that there were nine people on board the private helicopter. It is known that Kobe Bryant was on board with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and six other friends. The girls on board were to take part in a basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy.
Among the passengers was John Altobelli, the head coach of the Orange Coast College baseball team, along with his wife Keri and 13-year-old daughter Alyssa. The girl played with Kobe Bryant’s daughter.
The basketball coach at Bryant’s daughter’s school, Christina Mauser, was also on board, her husband later reported on social media. He was left a widower with three young children.
Sarah Chester was on board with her 13-year-old daughter. After her death, her husband Chris Chester was left a widower with two sons.
The helicopter pilot was Ara Zobayan. He was known for flying with celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and her niece Dream, Lorenzo Lamas. Ara Zobayan was an experienced instructor and charter pilot.
The plane crash was investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the FBI. The helicopter was not equipped with a “black box” or a flight recorder. The absence of this electronic recording device made it difficult to determine the cause of the plane crash. On February 9, 2021, the NTSB concluded that pilot Ara Zobayan lost his orientation after getting into dense clouds. It was also noted that the pilot ignored his training and violated federal rules during the 40-minute flight.
Kobe Bryant – a basketball legend
He is an American professional basketball player who went down in history as one of the greatest and most influential basketball players of all time. Kobe Bryant is the son of Joseph Washington “Jellybean” Bryant, a professional basketball player and coach. In the mid-2000s, Kobe Bryant gave himself the nickname “Black Mamba,” which quickly became known to the public. He referred to the fact that his basketball skills mimicked the snake’s ability to strike with 99% accuracy at maximum speed in a clear sequence.
Kobe Bryant spent a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he retired in April 2016. During his long career in this sport, he reached many peaks.
- In 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a game against the “Toronto Raptors.” This figure is the second-highest in NBA history in a single game.
- In 2008, he won the title of the most valuable player (MVP) of the NBA.
- Two-time NBA Finals MVP.
- He was a two-time NBA scoring champion.
- Two-time Olympic champion.
- In 2017, Kobe Bryant received an Oscar for the best five-minute animated short film called “Dear Basketball.” It is based on a letter he wrote back in 2015. In it, Kobe Bryant expresses his warm feelings for the sport, the favorite business of his life.
Personal life
In November 1999, 21-year-old Kobe Bryant met 17-year-old Vanessa Laine. At that time, she worked as a background dancer in Tha Eastsidaz’s music video “G’d Up.” Kobe Bryant was in the building at that time, working on his debut album. That’s how they met and started dating, and in May 2000, they got engaged. At that time, the girl was a senior at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. There was no marriage contract, and on April 18, 2001, the couple got married at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California.
The couple’s daughter Natalia was born in January 2003, and Gianna Maria-Onore (known as Gigi and Mambacita) in May 2006. In December 2011, Vanessa filed for divorce due to irreconcilable differences, and in January 2013, the couple canceled this decision. In early December 2016, the couple’s third daughter was born, and in June 2019, the fourth daughter was born.
It is also worth noting that Bryant and his family regularly attended Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach. He and his daughter Gianna received the Eucharist, also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament, or the Lord’s Supper, a few hours before their death. This is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches and a decree in others.
Before his death, Kobe Bryant was working on a children’s book with Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho de Souza. It was supposed to be an inspiration for children from low-income families. After Bryant’s death, the writer deleted the draft and stated that it made no sense to publish the book without Kobe.
Commemoration
On February 28, 2023, Vanessa Bryant received $28.85 million in compensation from Los Angeles County. She received this amount after the completion of legal proceedings regarding the placement of photos of the consequences of the plane crash without the family’s permission. She first received $15 million in a 2022 civil trial, and later additional funds for her daughters, who were 20, 6, and 3 at the time.
On February 7, Kobe Bryant and his daughter were buried in the “Pacific View” memorial park, and a public memorial service was held on February 24 at the Staples Center. The NBA postponed the game between the “Los Angeles Lakers” and the “Clippers.” This is the first such case since the Boston Marathon explosion in 2013.
In Los Angeles, there are murals dedicated to Kobe Bryant. They show him with his daughter. These works of art have become a kind of memorial where fans can leave flowers, notes, and express their grief. The Bryant family created the “Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.” This is a non-profit organization that works to create a positive impact on athletes and boys and girls who are in an unfortunate position in sports. The sports fund was founded thanks to the vision and loving memory of Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
Vanessa Bryant said the following about her husband and daughter:
“God knew that they could not be on this Earth without each other”
