Kobe Bryant and wife Vanessa had a deal that they would never fly on a helicopter together, says source
Late Basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa Bryant had made a deal that they would never fly on a helicopter together.
According to a report by People, a source close to the family shared, "He and Vanessa had a deal that they would never fly on a helicopter together."
Bryant was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a tragic helicopter accident that took place on Sunday, January 26. He is survived by his 37-year-old wife Vanessa, and their daughters, 17-year-old Natalia, three-year-old Bianka and Capri, who was born in June 2019.
The source also shared that Bryant would only fly in helicopters with pilot Ara Zobayan who also died in the fatal crash. Bryant had earlier revealed that he had started to use helicopters while he played for the LA Lakers as a means to spend more time with his family and less time being caught up in traffic.
Bryant had shared with Alex Rodriguez in 2018, "I was sitting in traffic and I wound up missing a school play. I had to figure out a way where I could still train and focus on the craft but not compromise family time. So that's when I looked into helicopters, to be able to get down and back in 15 minutes and that's when it started."
Another insider close to the family said, "One of the biggest things he was looking forward to after retiring from the NBA [in 2016] was getting to spend more time with his family. He was a very hands-on dad and, like any other father, saw such bright futures for all of his daughters."
"He was so proud to see them take after not only him and Vanessa but also grow into their own. He had a special bond with each of his daughters," the source added. According to ESPN, the former NBA star and his daughter had been on their way to a youth basketball game when the tragedy took place.