Three days before his and his wife Leah LaBelle’s untimely deaths, former NBA player Rasual Butler shared an emotional Instagram post dedicated to his only daughter, Raven, who he had from a previous relationship.
In the gut-wrenching post, the 38-year-old shared a photo of Raven posing on a sidewalk in black pants, an oversized jacket and a Calvin Klein hat.
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“My daughter is so [water wave emoji] yyyy! Her Aura, spirit, style, creativity, intellect, passion and understanding for her age is a beautiful thing to watch as very proud father!” Butler wrote.
“She understands things about being solid many adults struggle with! @ray.svea I Love you with every single element of human anatomy that allows me to be here in the physical as your father, friend, partner and inspiration for everything driving me to be the ultimate best version of me,” Butler said.
Raven “liked” the photo but did not comment. She has not posted about her grief on Instagram.
Butler and LaBelle, an R&B singer who appeared on season 3 of American Idol, were killed in a car crash early Wednesday in Studio City, California when Butler lost control of their Range Rover and the vehicle hit a parking meter, flipped and smashed into a wall. Authorities say the vehicle was traveling at more than twice the 35 mph speed limit.
Tributes have been flowing in from various NBA stars and teams ever since Butler’s death was first reported Wednesday.
Butler was close friends with Lamar Odom and even appeared in a few episodes of his reality show with ex-wife Khloé Kardashian, Khloe and Lamar.
Odom shared an Instagram photo of himself and Butler in Miami Heat gear on Wednesday night. In the photo, he and Butler are smiling and embracing while Odom holds a basketball.
“Words can’t explain this feeling. R.I.P. Lil bro,” Odom captioned the photo, adding the hashtag #SualBop.
Odom and Butler played together on the Miami Heat from 2003-2004. Butler was drafted by the Heat in 2002 and played there for three seasons and Odom played there for one season.
Others from the NBA expressed their sympathies for 38-year-old Butler and 31-year-old LaBelle. Many of the teams that Butler played on have released statements, with the Miami Heat saying, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Rasual Butler and his wife, Leah LaBelle. Our sincere condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the family and many friends of Rasual and Leah. They will be missed.”
Players like Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Isaiah Thomas, Paul Pierce, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, John Wall and Allen Iverson expressed their grief on social media.
Jordin Sparks, who was a good friend of LaBelle’s, also grieved LaBelle and Butler’s deaths publicly.
