The nation was shocked on Sunday by the news that Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Bryant, had both died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. The devastating news caught the world off-guard, prompting millions of responses. Dwayne Johnson has also weighed in, posting a heartbreaking photo of Bryant and Gianna on Instagram.
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“Love is forever,” Johnson wrote in the caption of the black-and-white photo. He wanted to make it very clear that Bryant and his daughter may be gone, but their love remains.
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The Rock was one of the millions devastated by the news that Bryant and his daughter had passed away on Sunday morning. This was a surreal moment for many as they struggled to grasp the reality that the Los Angeles Lakers star was truly gone.
The helicopter crash occurred shortly before 10 a.m. on Sunday morning as Bryant and Gianna were on their way to Thousand Oaks and the “Mamba Academy.” The aircraft crashed amid foggy conditions and burst into flames, creating a small brush fire. There were no survivors.
One of the other victims was later identified as John Altobelli, a baseball coach at Orange Coast College.
The actor in Johnson previously provided a motivational speech for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team wanted someone to talk to the young stars about success and fighting through adversity, and Johnson did just that. Although he also started with a short, joking statement.
“You’ve got to be the hardest workers in the room, and don’t [expletive] the opportunity up,” Johnson said as part of the Genius Talks put on by the Lakers. “Thank you guys, I appreciate it.”
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady also weighed in on the tragic news, writing that “we miss you already” in reference to Bryant. The 42-year-old NFL veteran is one year older than the late NBA star, and they both played 20 years in their respective leagues while making significant impacts.
Shaquille O’Neal, a former teammate of Bryant’s, reacted to the heartbreaking news by posting a tribute to his friend. He posted a series of photos, along with text reading: “There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through now with this tragic and sad moment of loosing (sic) my friend, my brother, my partner in winning championships, my dude and my homie.”
Photo Credit: Getty
