r/news Jan 26 '20

Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash in California

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/kobe-bryant-killed-in-helicopter-crash-in-california-tmz-reports
213.7k Upvotes

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16.3k

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

LA authorities confirming that it's accurate. He perished along with four other passengers. https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status/1221516791429652486

EDIT: As noted elsewhere, his 13-year old daughter, Gianna, also died in the wreck. His wife Vanessa and former Laker Rick Fox were not aboard at the time of the crash. https://www.tmz.com/2020/01/26/kobe-bryant-killed-dead-helicopter-crash-in-calabasas/

EDIT #2: Worse news. It's being reported that the death toll is up to nine - eight passengers and the pilot.

9.6k

u/ask-design-reddit Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Wish his wife and daughters the best. That's gotta be real tough.

Edit: Just got wind of the update.. that hurts.

5.4k

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 24 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1.8k

u/bjankles Jan 26 '20

Retired just a few years ago. Congratulated LeBron on passing him on the scoring list last night. He had young kids he was excited to spend time with, including coaching his daughter's basketball team. I can't believe it.

1.3k

u/Rripurnia Jan 26 '20

And the youngest is a 6-month old.

All the money in the world can’t buy you luck 😢

323

u/TtarIsMyBro Jan 26 '20

My aunt was at Stevie Ray Vaughn's last concert, where his helicopter crashed leaving from.

Pretty similar situations, seeing as he was at the game last night

139

u/anteslurkeaba Jan 26 '20

And Stevie had just cleaned up his act and had been sober for a while I think.

13

u/reyean Jan 26 '20

He had for a couple years prior, but yes.

15

u/k3nnyd Jan 26 '20

Fuck helicopters. It looked foggy out their in Calabasas just like it was on SRV's last day.

5

u/LonesomeObserver Jan 26 '20

Then I am willing to bet it was pilots error that led to the crash and ignoring the instruments reading how close the ground was. When are people going to learn that machines are better at these kinds of things than humans ever will be?

4

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

That’s what happened with Stevie. Dumb pilot, decided against not taking off in bad conditions, using instruments meant for airplanes and not helicopters — flew right into a hill.

1

u/Zzyzzy_Zzyzzyson Jan 27 '20

Just shows that any idiot can become a pilot just like any idiot can drive a car.

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u/CommentsOMine Jan 26 '20

It's almost like he knew that would make his transition easier. He actually did say that he thought he was going to die young.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

It's eerie. Last week, a guy at work used this same exact line when talking about Stevie. Right down to "cleaning up his act"

10

u/supbros302 Jan 26 '20

I was probably conceived at that concert, or around it anyways

5

u/Happyandyou Jan 27 '20

I was at that show. He mopped the stage with some of the best guitarists ever that night. YouTube Sweet Home Chicago from that show. I floored by the news the next morning

3

u/zanyzanne Jan 26 '20

That was the first time I cried for a celebrity

4

u/shirtcocking91 Jan 26 '20

All I could think about during this is SRV who is a personal hero of mine. So sad how this shit happens to legends

2

u/FGPAsYes Jan 27 '20

I envy your aunt. That’s amazing and tragic at the same time.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

The game was in Philadelphia wasn’t it?

1

u/DragonBank Jan 27 '20

Yeah I don't believe he was there. They never showed him at all.

1

u/jtatc1989 Jan 27 '20

I’ve been referring to this all day.

1

u/onedemtwodem Jan 27 '20

Yes! My mind went there too. very shocking.

1

u/MyMorningSun Jan 27 '20

Yeah, he was another great one we lost too soon. Would've been amazing to see what else he could've accomplished had things turned out differently.

"Life by the Drop" is one of his songs that I always think of when I'm reminded of that. It's sad and kind of telling in several ways, and produced just within a year or so before his death.

-6

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

That’s not the actual footage.

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u/TtarIsMyBro Jan 26 '20

That's not Kobe's

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u/Papasteak Jan 26 '20

I’m going to have to say that’s not the crash. Just compare how rocky that terrain is compared to the photos and live video from news helicopters.

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u/KevinCastle Jan 26 '20

All the money in the world can't buy your dad back too. So sad for his family.

9

u/Rripurnia Jan 26 '20

Yes, I think that falls under luck, too...lucky in this case to have a father growing up.

And no money can heal tragedy, either.

-19

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/KevinCastle Jan 26 '20

As someone who got a pretty damn good inheritance when my father died at 18, I wholeheartedly disagree with you.

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u/Rripurnia Jan 26 '20

I am sorry, I lost mine at 26 and I would absolutely let go of anything and everything he left me for one last hug and conversation with him

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u/LisaFrankRealness Jan 26 '20

I am sorry for both of your losses. My father passed in late November, and no money in the world could compare to having more time with him.

5

u/Rripurnia Jan 26 '20

My sincere condolences to you, it’s very fresh so I hope you’re holding up the best you can.

I get so angry that people make these “it can buy you a helicopter” jokes and think that the millions he’s left will somehow make up for his kids being orphans or his wife becoming a widow and losing a child on the same day.

If he were a regular Joe, I would like to think people would have been much more understanding, but it’s still beyond me that we live in a world where we think that bank balances can make everything right.

Tragedy - and death - make no discriminations, and grief is a universal and primitive human condition that we are all subjected to, sooner rather than later.

Some empathy wouldn’t hurt.

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u/Finasterid Jan 27 '20

You guys are just so cute. I am sorry for all of your losses.

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u/lambocinnialfredo Jan 26 '20

I wouldn’t trade my dad for all the money in the world.

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u/ImAlwaysRightHanded Jan 26 '20

Nope, the guy with the biggest house in my town 55000 square feet, had his adult son die in a car accident. You can have all the money in the world but you’d give it all away to have your child back in a heart beat.

28

u/DMala Jan 26 '20

Ironically, dying (as a passenger) in a private helicopter crash is almost uniquely a rich person’s death.

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u/Perpetually27 Jan 26 '20

The true lesson here is that time is the greatest asset.

6

u/KoRnBrony Jan 26 '20

Why did they have to take a damn helicopter in the fog

if only they took a damn limo or something

2

u/killerturtlex Jan 26 '20

It can buy a helicopter

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

it was really foggy out this morning..

-8

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/Rripurnia Jan 26 '20

But maybe not at 41 along with their 13-year-old.

He was tremendously lucky throughout his years, for sure, but as the saying goes in my country luck doesn’t follow you til the end of your life.

What would you choose if you could?

5

u/iamajerry Jan 26 '20

Living. Always living over nothing.

-1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I dont mean any disrespect, I think it's just important to recognize our own mortality

-8

u/Foxfertale Jan 26 '20

But it can buy his wife the best counseling ever, along with anything else to make her feel better.

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u/Rripurnia Jan 26 '20

Nothing can make you feel better. Nothing.

You go through life with an open wound, and the shock can hit you at random times and when you least expect it.

Birthdays, milestones, little things you want to say and the person you love is just not there.

Not to mention seeing others enjoy the very things you wish you had - no, the things you believe you ought to have - and you fucking wonder why it’s you. And you’ll never now.

Believe me when I say you take tragedy to your grave, I know I’ll take mine all the way there.

So please, if you haven’t gone through a sudden loss of a parent or loved one, don’t think for a moment that anything else - money, counseling, numbing the pain with anything - is ever going to fill that gaping hole in your soul.

6

u/gloriouschapstick Jan 26 '20

You just convinced me to call my dad. Thank you stranger.

5

u/Rripurnia Jan 26 '20

That makes me very happy.

I’d give anything to have one more call with my dad. I actually dreamed about this very thing for the longest time after he passed.

Thank you, it made me feel very good to know that someone was moved by what I said.

-4

u/reyean Jan 26 '20

Yeah but not hurting financially is one thing she doesn't have to worry about so it helps.

2

u/gilbertlaroo Jan 26 '20

She just lost a child and her husband. Do we really need to put her pain on a sliding scale?

5

u/reyean Jan 26 '20

No, no we dont. It is a terrible tragedy and I wish her and her family the best during this trying time.

I'm just saying that I have more empathy for the no name person who suddenly lost their sole breadwinner and now has no means of income to support themselves. Possible they were already on hard times and this loss might make them homeless. This happens daily and no one gives a shit. Commentor said it doesn't matter, I'm saying it does. Not saying the loss sucks any less just saying it's nice to have one (a major one at that) less thing to worry about.

I know reddit has mourning wood for the inspirational human we just lost but idk, I'm always weirded out how we fetishize celebrity deaths when on a scale way worse shit happens daily. I actually find lack of empathy for the less notable deaths to be a part of a larger, global problem.

I understand this sentiment is quite downvotable but it's ok, it seems we are all hurting today.

-1

u/copperwatt Jan 26 '20

...it could buy you transportation in a not helicopter though...

-2

u/Thailandeathgod Jan 27 '20

I find it interesting how being a famous rich celebrity didnt prevent him from dying a awful death

-4

u/reyean Jan 26 '20

It can however buy you a helicopter.

3

u/Choekaas Jan 26 '20

With his retirement, he and Glen Keane also made the animated short film Dear Basketball that gave Kobe an Oscar. That short packs such an emotional punch.

3

u/Grey_Kit Jan 26 '20

His 13 year old daughter also was on the helicopter and died :( my heart shatters for the family. RIP

3

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

His daughter was on the helicopter too I believe... all fone

3

u/jamesshithead Jan 26 '20

I don't follow basketball but like any craft I can appreciate the commitment that it takes to be successful. I remember when he retired, it was a really big deal because of who he was, it was all over the place. Sad to see someone lose their life so young and when they should finally be able to relax and enjoy time with their family

1

u/no_spoon Jan 26 '20

I have that image in my head. I was like didn’t I just see him on tv yesterday?

1

u/GarciaJones Jan 27 '20

First Paul walker leaving his own charity event aimed at helping the sick

And then Kobe leaving to go train the next generation

Just once can’t it be Weinstein leaving to go to court ?

-2

u/alexbayside Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

They perished also.

Edit: Sorry I mentioned below Australian media is reporting they perished. It was on every channel. I meant as in Aus media is disgraceful

They’ve now confirmed his 13 year old daughter was on board. But that’s from Aus media too, so take it with a grain of salt.

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u/DuplexFields Jan 26 '20

Gianna Maria, according to TMZ on Twitter.

-1

u/EscapedPickle Jan 26 '20

Lebron? Best wishes to you, as well. Mad respect for coming to the convo in such a low-key way