Kobe Bryant’s daughter Gianna was also allegedly on board the helicopter that crashed and killed the NBA legend in Calabassas, California, on Sunday. As confusion and misinformation about the crash flurried, TMZ reported at 12:35 p.m. PT that the 13-year-old was among the five victims in the accident. The news was apparently confirmed by Bryant’s representative.
“Kobe’s daughter Gianna Maria Onore — aka GiGi — was also on board the helicopter and died in the crash … reps for Kobe tell TMZ Sports. She was 13,” the outlet’s report reads. “We’re told they were on their way to the Mamba Academy for a basketball practice when the crash occurred. The Academy is in nearby Thousand Oaks.”
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Speculation ran rampant on social media that Bryant’s three other daughters were also on board the aircraft at the time of its crash, but there are absolutely no credible reports saying that as of press time. Currently, Bryant, 41, and Gianna are the only identified victims of the accident. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports two other individuals in the vehicle were one of Gianna’s basketball teammates and a parent.
Sources: Kobe Bryant was on his way to a travel basketball game with his daughter Gianna when the helicopter crashed. Those aboard the helicopter also included another player and parent.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 26, 2020
Bryant’s wife, 37-year-old Vanessa Bryant, was confirmed to not be on board during the accident, according to TMZ. The Los Angeles Lakers icon and Vanessa had four daughters together: Natalia, 17, Gianna, 13, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months. The couple had just welcomed Capri on June 20, 2019.
The cause of the accident is currently being investigated. Witnesses who’ve spoke to media and authorities have stated that the helicopter’s engine appeared to be in distress before it crashed.
While Bryant’s camp has not put out a direct statement on his death, numerous friends and admirers have flocked to social media to share their sadness about the news.
“Reports are that basketball great Kobe Bryant and three others have been killed in a helicopter crash in California,” President Donald Trump tweeted. “That is terrible news!”
“This can’t be real,” Khloe Kardashian tweeted, adding four broken heart emojis. “There’s no way!!! My heart hurts. … “Please don’t let this be True. I’m shaking [broken heart emoji].”
“We miss you already Kobe [heart emoji, praying hands emoji],” New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wrote on Twitter.
“Nooooooooooo God please No!,” Dwyane Wade tweeted.
Details on the accident are still coming out as of this writing.
Photo Credit: Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Image
