Hi Guys,
On Sunday, January 26th, the world forever changed . A world icon Kobe Bean Bryant who was just 41 years old, passed away along with his daughter Gianna Bryant who was just 13 years old. They tragically died in a helicopter crash along with 7 other lives : John Atobelli, his wife Kerri Altobelli and their 13 year old daughter who was Gianna Bryant”s best friend Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester and her 13 year old daughter Payton Chester, Christina Mauser the head coach of Kobe’s Mamba girls basketball team, and also Kobe’s long time pilot of his chopper Ara Zobayan. Ara was also Kawhi Lenoard’s pilot.
Kobe Bryant and his daughter and their friends were En route to his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California departing from Kobe’s home in Newport Beach California when Kobe’s helicopter crashed, in Calabasas California. at 10 am local time.
From that Moment in time, the world was never the same. A gaping hole in the world and not to mention the world of basketball and the NBA. It is really a huge void beyond measure left by Kobe Bryant. He was grooming his daughter Gianna for the WNBA. Giana wore number 2 on the back of her jersey and Gigi was set to become the best player in the WNBA. Gigi’s other dream was to to play for the UConn Huskies. Last year in March, Kobe and Gianna went to visit the Campus in Storrs, Connecticut, and went to a game and sat right behind the UConn bench. Kobe and Gigi were smiling from ear to ear! Gianna was proudly wearing her UConn Huskies hat! Kobe was beaming with pride and joy! They were looking like they were having the happiest times of their lives!
Gianna always wrote papers advocating for equal pay in the WNBA. Kobe was a true Champion of women’s sports and young kids. That is precisely he opened his Mamba Sports Academy located in Thousand Oaks, California. The place he was flying to in that chopper, for Gigi’s girls basketball game. He was there flying to on that Fateful Sunday morning…
He was a true Renaissance Man in every sense of the word!… He loved the WNBA. He also, like Gianna always advocated for equal pay in the WNBA and sports in general for women. Kobe had a Podcast called Punies for young kids, teaching them life lessons through sports and storytelling. In his retirement he became a New York Times Best Selling Author for an incredible series of kids books. These are books truly meant for everyone. They are fantastic books. Kobe also won an Oscar for his very beautiful legendary short film called “Dear Basketball”It is about his love story with game of Basketball, which is beautifully articulated in this animated documentary short film.
Yesterday was the beautifully moving Public Memorial of Kobe and his daughter Gianna at Staples Center organized by the the eloquent elegant, and graceful Vanessa Bryant the wife of Kobe and mother of Gigi and the couple’s three other beautiful daughters, Natalia, Bianaka, and Capri. Vanessa and the Lakers organization decided to have the Memorial Service on Monday February 24th 2020, because Vanessa wanted to commemorate and honour both of their Jersey Numbers. The Memorial was a beautiful way to honour Kobe and Gianna’s Legacies.
I love you Kobe with all my Heart!… You have always been a true inspiration to me!… I will continue to carry on with the Mamba Mentality forever and ever!!!… In my Heart and Mind!!!… Kobe you will forever be in my Heart. Kobe and Gigi will live on Forever And Ever!!!…
