Kobe Bryant,
one of the greatest basketball players of all time and an
internationally recognizable NBA superstar, died in a helicopter crash
Sunday outside Los Angeles. He was 41 years old.
Bryant was flying with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people when the helicopter went down “in a remote field” in Calabasas, Calif. around 10 a.m., according to the Associated Press.
All nine people aboard the helicopter were killed, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. But pending official word from the coroner, he would not confirm the passengers’ identities. “It would be entirely inappropriate right now to identify anyone by name,” Villanueva said at a news conference.
Bryant is survived by his wife, Vanessa Laine Bryant. They had four children together.
Before retiring from the NBA in 2016, Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for the entirety of his two-decade career, winning the NBA Finals five times.
Bryant was also a longtime helicopter passenger, famously flying from his Orange County home to Lakers games at the Staples Center in Los Angeles during his career.
Bryant was flying with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people when the helicopter went down “in a remote field” in Calabasas, Calif. around 10 a.m., according to the Associated Press.
All nine people aboard the helicopter were killed, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. But pending official word from the coroner, he would not confirm the passengers’ identities. “It would be entirely inappropriate right now to identify anyone by name,” Villanueva said at a news conference.
Kobe Bryant warms up with daughter Gianna Bryant during the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 14, 2016.
Elsa—Getty Images
Before retiring from the NBA in 2016, Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for the entirety of his two-decade career, winning the NBA Finals five times.
Bryant was also a longtime helicopter passenger, famously flying from his Orange County home to Lakers games at the Staples Center in Los Angeles during his career.
Bryant also won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018 for Dear Basketball, which he wrote and narrated.
Kobe honored at Grammy awards
Performers and presenters at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, which took place at Los Angeles’ Staples Center — the home of the Lakers — paid tribute to Bryant throughout the evening. The show began with a performance from Lizzo, the night’s most-nominated artist, who said ”Tonight is for Kobe,” before launching into the lyric “I’m crying ‘cuz I love you” from her song “Cuz I Love You.” The evening’s host, Alicia Keys, followed with a heartfelt, subdued speech and was then joined by Boyz II Men for an a cappella performance of their song “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.”
A few minutes later, an emotional Lizzo used her
award acceptance speech to remind viewers of the importance of
connection. “All my little problems I thought were big as the world are
gone,” she said. “I realize there are people hurting right now… Let’s
continue to reach out, hold each other down and lift each other up.”
Some 56 personnel, including paramedics, responded and found a quarter-acre brush fire that was caused by the crash, Osby said. Firefighters hiked into the crash site and a helicopter hoisted paramedics down to search for survivors, but rescue crews found no one alive.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of the crash.
The helicopter took off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. at 9:08 a.m.
The crash occurred as dense fog covered the area, which other helicopters nearby, including those from the Los Angeles Count Sheriff’s Office, the AP reported.
According to the AP, the helicopter climbed to about 2,000 feet was flying at about 160 knots (184 m.p.h.) when it crashed.
Authorities have not confirmed details about the helicopter that crashed, but according to flight tracking site flightaware.com and the Los Angeles Times, the aircraft was a 1991 Sikorsky S-76B twin-engine helicopter. It was owned by Island Express Holding Corp., registered in Fillmore, Calif., according to Flightaware.com records.
The S-76 is a popular helicopter that has been in service since 1977, with hundreds of aircraft delivered around the world, according to Lockheed Martin, the company that owns Sikorsky.
“Sikorsky is proud of the S-76 fleet’s legacy. With more than 7.4 million hours of safe, successful flight, we are committed to supporting the platform and to continuous product improvements,” according to the website for the helicopter.
It is used as a search and rescue helicopter, for medical evacuations and 10 countries employ it to transport their head of state. A newer model of the S-76 helicopter is used to fly Queen Elizabeth II and other royals.
Sikorsky said in a statement: “We extend our sincerest condolences to all those affected by today’s Sikorsky S-76B accident in Calabasas, California. We have been in contact with the NTSB and stand ready to provide assistance and support to the investigative authorities and our customer. Safety is our top priority; if there are any actionable findings from the investigation, we will inform our S-76 customers.”
Bryant worked his way into the GOAT
conversation—”Greatest Player of All-Time”—through his five NBA
championships, two NBA Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, a regular
season MVP, a pair of Olympic gold medals, selection to 18 All-Star
teams with the Los Angeles Lakers, and spot as the fourth leading scorer
in NBA history, with 36,643 points. He’s up there with Michael Jordan,
LeBron James and anyone else. In a cruel coincidence, current Laker
James, who looked up to Bryant and was in tears Sunday after the team
plane returned from a road trip, had just passed Bryant on the all-time
scoring list. Bryant’s last ever Tweet, sent at 10:39 Eastern Time on
Saturday, was a shoutout to James: “Much respect my brother,” Kobe
wrote.
Bryant was a ruthless basketball competitor, known as the “Black Mamba.” He’d rip an opponent’s heart out with a devastating dunk, or an artful fadeaway jump shot, a signature move. He scold less talented teammates, and craved the ball in big situations.
He arrived in the NBA straight out of high school, in 1996, as the first guard to skip college basketball straight for the pros. This decision was seismic: Bryant’s success inspired a generation of players, including James, to seize their pro opportunity as soon as possible. After winning three straight championships with Shaquille O’Neal from 2000-2002, the Lakers suffered some down years in the mid-aughts following O’Neal’s 2004 trade to the Miami Heat. Then Bryant willed the Lakers to a renaissance, winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. He was the MVP of both series: those championships, without Shaq, validated his all-time greatness. Those were his own.
His singular performances thrilled his followers. In
January of 2006 Bryant scored 81 points in an LA victory over the
Toronto Raptors; only Wilt Chamberlain, who went for 100 points in a
game in 1962, scored more in a single game. Bryant’s final game, in
2016, set a new standard for last hurrahs: Bryant scored 60 points, on
50 shots, in a Laker win over the Utah Jazz. For the Mamba, this
basketball ending was all too fitting.
In a 2018 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Bryant said his daughter had dreams of playing in the WNBA and talked about his pride at watching her tenacity.
“The best thing that happens when we go out, fans will come up to me and she’ll be standing next to me and they’ll be like, ‘Hey, you gotta have a boy! You and [wife Vanessa] gotta have a boy to have somebody to carry on the tradition and the legacy.’
“She’s like, ‘Hey, I got this! You don’t need a boy for that.’”
Also killed were John Altobelli, the head baseball
coach at Orange Coast College, and his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa,
the college confirmed in a statement.
“John meant so much to not only Orange Coast College,
but to baseball,” Athletic Director Jason Kehler said in the statement.
“He truly personified what it means to be a baseball coach. The passion
that he put into the game, but more importantly his athletes, was
second to none – he treated them like family. Our deepest condolences go
out to the Altobelli family during this time of tragedy.”
In a statement, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti called Bryant “a giant who inspired, amazed, and thrilled people,” adding that “he will live forever in the heart of Los Angeles, and will be remembered through the ages as one of our greatest heroes,” he said.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, a longtime friend of Bryant’s, highlighted the athlete’s uniqueness in remarks on ESPN 2. “It wasn’t just about basketball with him. It was about life,” Smith said of Bryant’s passions. “This guy was highly, highly intellectual, he was a brilliant mind. He was on a mission to constantly elevate himself intellectually.”
Athletes, artists and others quickly expressed their shock to the news of Bryant’s death on social media, including Saquon Barkley, running back for the New York Giants, Lil Nas X, NBA legends Dwayne Wade and Magic Johnson, gymnast Simone Biles, former Indianapolis Colts player Pat McAfee and 50 Cent.
“This came out of nowhere,” McAfee said. “Absolutely devastating.”
Former NBA star Scottie Pippen tweeted that he was “stunned.”
President Donald Trump tweeted about Bryant’s death on Sunday afternoon. “That is terrible news,” he said.
Former President Barack Obama also made a statement on Bryant’s loss. “Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act,” he said. “To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents.”
The Prime Minister of Jamaica posted about Bryant’s death on Twitter. “Kobe Bryant is a name that is synonymous with basketball,” he said.
“Kobe, we love you brother. We’re praying for your family and appreciate the life you’ve lived and all the inspiration you gave,” Kanye West said in a post on Twitter.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio posted a tribute on Twitter. “L.A. will never be the same,” it said.
“There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through with this tragedy,” former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal posted on Twitter.
“My heart is broken for his wife and family,” television show host Ellen DeGeneres posted on Twitter.
Legendary Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi posted a tribute on Instagram. “You were a genius like few others,” it said.
“Today, we lost a legend,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a tribute posted on Twitter.
Photos circulating on social media showed flowers and signs left by fans outside the arena. “R.I.P. Mamba,” read one sign.
Kyle Robinson, 28, a lifelong Lakers fan, was among those who gathered at the Staples Center.
“I knew there would be a nice crowd down here, and it’d be a place to come talk about it and hang with other fans that are hurting too,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
University of Southern California student Ryan Apfel also joined the crowd. “I was at my apartment by myself and I broke down crying. I looked for my Kobe jersey and said, ‘I have to go down there. I’m too restless. I have to pay my respects,’” he said, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Cause of helicopter crash under investigation
The Los Angeles County Fire Department received the first report of the crash at 9:47 a.m. on Sunday in a hilly area of Los Angeles County near Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street, according to Fire Chief Daryl Osby.Some 56 personnel, including paramedics, responded and found a quarter-acre brush fire that was caused by the crash, Osby said. Firefighters hiked into the crash site and a helicopter hoisted paramedics down to search for survivors, but rescue crews found no one alive.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of the crash.
The helicopter took off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. at 9:08 a.m.
The crash occurred as dense fog covered the area, which other helicopters nearby, including those from the Los Angeles Count Sheriff’s Office, the AP reported.
According to the AP, the helicopter climbed to about 2,000 feet was flying at about 160 knots (184 m.p.h.) when it crashed.
What do we know about the helicopter?
The
helicopter that crashed killing NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter
Gianna and seven others was reportedly a Sikorsky S-76 like the one
pictured here. It is a popular model of helicopter used all over the
world for executive transport, medical evacuation and search and rescue.
Angel Navarrete–Bloomberg/Getty Images
The S-76 is a popular helicopter that has been in service since 1977, with hundreds of aircraft delivered around the world, according to Lockheed Martin, the company that owns Sikorsky.
“Sikorsky is proud of the S-76 fleet’s legacy. With more than 7.4 million hours of safe, successful flight, we are committed to supporting the platform and to continuous product improvements,” according to the website for the helicopter.
It is used as a search and rescue helicopter, for medical evacuations and 10 countries employ it to transport their head of state. A newer model of the S-76 helicopter is used to fly Queen Elizabeth II and other royals.
Sikorsky said in a statement: “We extend our sincerest condolences to all those affected by today’s Sikorsky S-76B accident in Calabasas, California. We have been in contact with the NTSB and stand ready to provide assistance and support to the investigative authorities and our customer. Safety is our top priority; if there are any actionable findings from the investigation, we will inform our S-76 customers.”
Kobe Bryant’s legacy
Kobe
Bryant goes up for a shot between the Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce and
Al Jefferson during an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles on Feb. 23,
2006.
Branimir Kvartuc—AP
Bryant was a ruthless basketball competitor, known as the “Black Mamba.” He’d rip an opponent’s heart out with a devastating dunk, or an artful fadeaway jump shot, a signature move. He scold less talented teammates, and craved the ball in big situations.
He arrived in the NBA straight out of high school, in 1996, as the first guard to skip college basketball straight for the pros. This decision was seismic: Bryant’s success inspired a generation of players, including James, to seize their pro opportunity as soon as possible. After winning three straight championships with Shaquille O’Neal from 2000-2002, the Lakers suffered some down years in the mid-aughts following O’Neal’s 2004 trade to the Miami Heat. Then Bryant willed the Lakers to a renaissance, winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. He was the MVP of both series: those championships, without Shaq, validated his all-time greatness. Those were his own.
Who were the other victims?
Bryant was traveling with his daughter Gianna, 13, who is also believed to have been killed in the crash. She was the second-oldest of Bryant’s four daughters.In a 2018 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Bryant said his daughter had dreams of playing in the WNBA and talked about his pride at watching her tenacity.
“The best thing that happens when we go out, fans will come up to me and she’ll be standing next to me and they’ll be like, ‘Hey, you gotta have a boy! You and [wife Vanessa] gotta have a boy to have somebody to carry on the tradition and the legacy.’
“She’s like, ‘Hey, I got this! You don’t need a boy for that.’”
Tributes from around the world for Kobe Bryant
The tributes that have poured following Bryant’s sudden death are one small indication that Bryant made an impact well beyond the basketball court—from former President Barack Obama, to fellow NBA legend Michael Jordan to President Donald Trump.In a statement, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti called Bryant “a giant who inspired, amazed, and thrilled people,” adding that “he will live forever in the heart of Los Angeles, and will be remembered through the ages as one of our greatest heroes,” he said.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, a longtime friend of Bryant’s, highlighted the athlete’s uniqueness in remarks on ESPN 2. “It wasn’t just about basketball with him. It was about life,” Smith said of Bryant’s passions. “This guy was highly, highly intellectual, he was a brilliant mind. He was on a mission to constantly elevate himself intellectually.”
Athletes, artists and others quickly expressed their shock to the news of Bryant’s death on social media, including Saquon Barkley, running back for the New York Giants, Lil Nas X, NBA legends Dwayne Wade and Magic Johnson, gymnast Simone Biles, former Indianapolis Colts player Pat McAfee and 50 Cent.
“This came out of nowhere,” McAfee said. “Absolutely devastating.”
Former NBA star Scottie Pippen tweeted that he was “stunned.”
President Donald Trump tweeted about Bryant’s death on Sunday afternoon. “That is terrible news,” he said.
Former President Barack Obama also made a statement on Bryant’s loss. “Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act,” he said. “To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents.”
The Prime Minister of Jamaica posted about Bryant’s death on Twitter. “Kobe Bryant is a name that is synonymous with basketball,” he said.
“Kobe, we love you brother. We’re praying for your family and appreciate the life you’ve lived and all the inspiration you gave,” Kanye West said in a post on Twitter.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio posted a tribute on Twitter. “L.A. will never be the same,” it said.
“There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through with this tragedy,” former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal posted on Twitter.
“My heart is broken for his wife and family,” television show host Ellen DeGeneres posted on Twitter.
Legendary Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi posted a tribute on Instagram. “You were a genius like few others,” it said.
“Today, we lost a legend,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a tribute posted on Twitter.
Fans gather at Staples Center to pay tribute
Hundreds of fans gathered outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday to pay tribute to the Lakers legend. “Thank you, Kobe,” fans could be heard chanting in a video posted to Twitter by ABC News.Photos circulating on social media showed flowers and signs left by fans outside the arena. “R.I.P. Mamba,” read one sign.
Kyle Robinson, 28, a lifelong Lakers fan, was among those who gathered at the Staples Center.
“I knew there would be a nice crowd down here, and it’d be a place to come talk about it and hang with other fans that are hurting too,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
University of Southern California student Ryan Apfel also joined the crowd. “I was at my apartment by myself and I broke down crying. I looked for my Kobe jersey and said, ‘I have to go down there. I’m too restless. I have to pay my respects,’” he said, reports the Los Angeles Times.
