Fans are remembering Kobe Bryant his daughter, Gianna, on the three-year anniversary of their passing. Kobe and Gianna were passengers on a helicopter, heading to a basketball game at Bryant’s own Mamba Sports Academy, when foggy conditions caused the vehicle to crash in Calabasas.
Kobe and Gianna are survived by their family; wife and mother, Vanessa, and sisters, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.
Since that unfortunate day, Vanessa’s priority has been ensuring the privacy of her children and preserving the legacy of her husband and daughter.
Vanessa renamed Kobe Bryant’s non-profit, The Mamba Foundation, to The Mamba and Mambacita Foundation, in honor of Gianna. Mambacita was Kobe’s nickname for Gianna; a reference to her stellar basketball skills and potential. She launched a clothing line to benefit the nonprofit, also called Mambacita. Additionally, she donated all $16 million a jury awarded to her family, as a result of a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Police and Fire Departments.
The lawsuit was filed after photographs taken by first responders of the crash site were leaked to the media. $15 million was also given to Chris Chester, who lost his wife and daughter in the crash. Los Angeles has called the day of the court victory “Kobe Bryant Day”; the date, August 24th or 08/24, is comprised of the two numbers Bryant wore during his basketball career. Kobe Bryant Day is one day after Bryant’s birthday.
Today, tributes on Twitter are pouring in, causing the hashtag #MambaForever to trend. Among many quotes circulating from Bryant, we leave you with a particularly apt one: “You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly.”
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/23/us/kobe-bryant-families-wrongful-death-suit-settlement/index.html
https://parade.com/1234641/jessicasager/kobe-bryant-quotes/
https://twitter.com/search?q=Kobe&src=trend_click&vertical=trends
