NBA Star Kobe Bryant & 13YO Daughter Die in Helicopter Crash | His Dream Was to See His Daughter Achieve Bigger Heights Than Him

Reports of NBA legend Kobe Bryant's demise has sent shock waves across the world in the wee hours of January 26, 2020. TMZ reported that he was onboard a helicopter with nine other people which crashed in Calabasas, California.

Tribute messages from celebrities and heartbroken fans are pouring in ever since this tragic piece of news broke. What is making the pain worse is that Kobe's daughter, 13-year-old Gianna was also on board with him and sadly we lost a future NBA star too.

In a heartfelt tribute to the Lakers sensation and his daughter, former President Barack Obama said, "Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act." He added, "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."

According to reports, Kobe and Gianna were headed to the Mamba Academy for a basketball practice when the crash occurred. The legendary sportsman and his teen daughter shared an incredible passion for the game and as a father, Kobe wanted his daughter to achieve even bigger feats than him.

Amid a mournful vibe, all across the world, the LA Times published a report that explained how Kobe was a thorough family man who loved spending time with his wife Vanessa and their daughters, Natalia, 17, Gianna, 13, Bianka, 3, and Capri, born last June.

The late player who retired in 2016 had said, “I have a life and I have my routine at home. It’s not that I don’t want to go [to Lakers games], but I’d rather be giving B.B. a shower and sing Barney songs to her. I played 20 years and I missed those moments before."

“For me to make the trip up to Staples Center, that means I’m missing an opportunity to spend another night with my kids when I know how fast it goes," he added. "I want to make sure the days that I’m away from them are days that I absolutely have to be. I’d rather be with them than doing anything else.”

Kobe had a special bond with Gianna who shared the same passion for basketball. She was like his shadow who followed him everywhere and he loved coaching her and her basketball teammates at the Mamba Sports Academy, a training center he opened in Thousand Oaks, reports LA Times.

According to Kobe, she was an exceptionally efficient player and it sometimes shocked him to see her pull some tricky moves. “It’s a trip to see her move and some of the expressions she makes,” Bryant said of Gianna. “It’s a trip how genetics work.”

LA Times also revealed that Kobe found it funny that fans asked him when is he going to have a son to carry his legacy forward. He believed that his daughter was doing a tremendous job at that. “This one,” Bryant said, pointing to Gianna. “She’s something else.” It would not be wrong to submit that not only was Kobe a legendary player but also an inspiring father who left behind a legacy of love and support for all the daughters who are made to feel less.

Elaborating on Gianna's (who he lovingly called Gigi) he had said that her style of game is not common. “What I love about Gigi is her curiosity about the game,” he said. “She’s very curious. Even in a heated situation in a game where it’s going back and forth, she can detach herself and come to me and ask a very specific question, which is not common. She’ll come over and say, ‘OK, on this particular trap when I’m trying to close the gap but she’s getting on the outside, do I need to change my angle?’ It’s a very specific question. That’s pretty damn cool.”

It is hard to get over the fact that a legendary player passed on his skills and passion to his little version and in a cruel turn of events that was snatched away from the world too. Having said that, it cannot be denied that what Kobe has left behind - skills, passion, love, and inspiration will never be forgotten. He had once said that it is others' job to carry his legacy forward and we are more than sure that there is someone out there who would follow in his steps and make sure his contributions never fade away.

“My job is to create the memories and moments,” he said in discussing his legacy. “It’s someone else’s job to create the rest.”

Rest in peace, Kobe and Gigi! We pray their family finds the strength to get through this difficult time.

References:

https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2020-01-26/kobe-bryant-daughter-gianna-basketball-crash-death

https://www.tmz.com/2020/01/26/kobe-bryant-killed-dead-helicopter-crash-in-calabasas/