On Monday, TMZ revealed that Vanessa Bryant would be suing the company that owned the helicopter involved in the fatal tragedy that left her husband, Kobe Bryant, daughter, Gianna Bryant, and seven others dead. Her claim is centered on the fact that the helicopter should never have been cleared for takeoff and that the pilot did not take responsible action.
A day later, TMZ is reporting that the company, Island Express, reportedly won’t be able to afford the wrongful death lawsuit. The latest report suggests the company “had liability insurance coverage totaling $50 million.”
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With that being the case, the issue then becomes how that $50 million would be dispersed among all of the families involved. Bryant is asking for punitive and compensatory damages, which when all is said and done, would add up to an immense amount of money, surely more than the company would ever be able to afford. She was the first one among the families to file a suit, but TMZ is reporting that others have already hired a lawyer in plans of following her move.
As a result of the crash, Island Express will likely be put out of business. The president of Aviation Speciality Insurance tells TMZ that “it’s highly unlikely” the company would ever be able to get insurance again. Without having that, the company would no longer exist.
The same day she filed the suit, all eyes turned to the Celebration of Life memorial held at the Staples Center.
During the ceremony, Bryant shared emotional, personal stories between her and husband. One of which was how he was “the romantic one in the relationship” and as a result, would plan special trips and gifts for their anniversaries. One such gift was the blue dress worn by Rachel McAdams in The Notebook.
The story even broke down the actual costume designer of the dress, who never knew that Kobe was in possession of the dress.
“I started bawling,” Wagner told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m still drying the tears off my face. What a beautiful eulogy. I’m so honored that I was able to contribute in some small way to the history of this amazing man.”
Approximately 20,000 people were in attendance at the Staples Center. Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera all performed during the event, which also saw the likes of Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and many others involved in the basketball community share personal stories about Kobe.
