One of the heart-wrenching moments in NBA history has to be the dreadful day of 26 January 2020 when Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash. The news came as a shock, and as one could imagine, hearing the loss of Kobe and his daughter Gigi, wasn’t easy for Vanessa Bryant.
The Lakers star’s wife revealed how she got to know about the tragic death of two of her loved ones. The first person to break down the news was their family assistant who knocked at their door. She stated, “I asked her if Gianna and Kobe were ok. And she said she wasn’t sure”.
Furthermore, she disclosed, “I was holding onto my phone because obviously, I was trying to call my husband back”. Vanessa couldn’t even believe what she heard, and at the same time notifications started to pop off “RIP Kobe.”
Vanessa lost her high school sweetheart and her beloved daughter in the most tragic way. She went ahead to make a pleading request for the privacy of Kobe and Gigi. In her own words, “If you can’t bring my husband and baby back, please make sure no one takes photographs of them. Please secure the area.”
As one of the greatest players of all-time died, his privacy even after death was at stake. Even though Vanessa requested that no photographs should be taken, the members of the sheriff’s department shared them.
Vanessa Bryant came to a settlement with Los Angeles County over helicopter crash photos
Vanessa displayed resilience even in the face of an unimaginable loss, and her unwavering pursuit of justice landed her in a settlement. Her quest for justice concluded with a $29 million settlement from Los Angeles County.
Additionally, co-plaintiff Chris Chester who faced the unfortunate loss of his wife and daughter received $20 million as a settlement. The attorneys of LA Country hoped that the Bryant and Chester family would be able to accept and heal from this tragic loss.
The attorney of Vanessa, Luis Li, gave a powerful statement regarding this settlement case. In her own words, “She fought for her husband, her daughter, and all those in the community whose deceased family were treated with similar disrespect. We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice.”
Furthermore, Vanessa revealed that she is planning to donate the settlement amount to Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. Which is a foundation that she worked hard to set up which honors Kobe and Gigi. It works to provide opportunities and have a positive impact on underserved athletes while also aiming for equality in sports.
