Matthew Mauser had a conversation with his kids that he never in his life imagined. The husband of Christina Mauser had to share the news to their children that their mother had lost her life in the helicopter crash that took the lives of nine people, including Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. The tragedy unfolded Sunday afternoon in Calabasas, California.
Her husband called the discussion with their three kids, who are ages 3, 9 and 11, the “hardest thing I’ve ever done.” He never once thought he’d be in this situation, telling ABC News that their was screaming and yelling, tears and lots of holding between the four of them. Mauser also added that one of his daughters was supposed to have a game that same day and would have been on the flight had her game not been canceled.
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“She loved what she did,” Mauser said. “My wife had a brilliant, brilliant eye for coaching.”
He went on, “I just want people to know how amazing my wife was. I want everybody to know not only about my wife, but about the other people on that helicopter that were amazing people. Including Gianna and KB. It was a helicopter full of incredibly talented, hardworking, sweet, kind, fantastic people.”
Christina Mauser, wife of musician Matt Mauser (Tijuana Dogs band), was also killed in today’s helicopter crash. This has been confirmed from Matt. Attached is a photo from a recent clinic she participated in. She was a coach on Kobe’s team.
So many prayers. pic.twitter.com/TW7rzdHPoH
— InMinivanHell (@inminivanhell) January 27, 2020
Mauser called his wife “quick” and “witty” and an all-around “amazing athlete.” Mauser was an assistant coach for Bryant’s daugther’s basketball team at the Mamba Academy. The helicopter was en route to the facility when the crash occurred.
“Kobe didn’t pick my wife because she was average,” he said. “She was exceptional.”
“I was so proud of her. It was amazing watching her in her element Kobe deferred to her. He would get angry or upset at a ref, she would calm him down.”
Along with Mauser, Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, baseball coach John Altobelli and his wife, Keri along with their daughter Alyssa, Sarah and Payton Chester and the pilot, Ara Zobayan, were lost in the tragedy.
A recent TMZ story suggests that Zobayan may have misjudged the terrain that was also covered in a heavy fog prior the accident.
