Denial wasn’t the only thing that lead to everyone’s disbelief
On Jan. 26, 2020, nine lives were lost in a helicopter crash. Among the dead were NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. It was an announcement that shocked the world. Millions of hearts were broken, including my own.
Given the severity of the event, you would think there would be more facts behind the story. That, however, could not have been farther from the truth in this case. Numerous details were released, and a shocking amount of them weren’t even true.
Many people saw a video of the helicopter crashing. However, that was not the right video. In fact, WTKR confirms the video was from a 2018 crash in Dubai which took the lives of four people.
More fake news began to emerge as NBA star Rick Fox was also reported dead in the crash. Fox, Bryant’s former Lakers teammate, quickly debunked the story. It was later confirmed by E! News that Fox was in fact not on the helicopter.
One of the biggest gut punches was that TMZ had reported the crash before Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s wife and Gianna’s mother, was informed. Reports say nobody was able to notify Vanessa before TMZ released their report. TMZ was scolded by police for the disrespect.
So much has happened since Bryant’s passing, and there’s a lot to sort through. On one hand, you can see the legacy this man left behind. On the other hand, there’s a lot of unprofessionalism surrounding the event.
Fans had a hard time accepting the death of the Mamba. The grief spread past Los Angeles, uniting millions of people. Now, a Change.org petition has been released. The goal is to make Kobe Bryant’s silhouette the new NBA logo. While that may not happen, the petition is already at 2.8 million signatures.
I was always inspired by Kobe, and hearing of his passing broke me. It broke my heart even more to hear his daughter, Gianna, had passed away at such a young age. After watching him since I was three years old, it’s extremely difficult to see him gone so soon.
A video from USA Today highlighted how Los Angeles mourned for Kobe Bryant. Thousands of fans left flowers at the Staples Center, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, for Bryant. Many fans commented on how Bryant showed them how to overcome adversity and never give up. He was an inspiration, and that’s evident from the millions of lives he touched.
While Bryant’s legacy is undeniable, there’s also the more peculiar aspect of the reports and rumors by outside sources.
Why would TMZ release information on the crash before Bryant’s wife found out? Who said Rick Fox died in the crash, and why? Was it genuine misinformation, or someone trying to put themselves in the spotlight? While we don’t have the answers, these false details have hurt everyone affected by this event.
When I first heard the news, I was devastated. I couldn’t believe Kobe and his daughter were gone. Then news came out that Rick Fox was also in the crash. After a few hours, a video of the helicopter crash surfaced, and I couldn’t take it anymore. My heart was too heavy.
Fast forward a day, and Rick Fox is alive. The helicopter video was a fake, and I found out that I knew about the crash before Vanessa Bryant did. I felt a mixed bag of emotions: joy Rick Fox was around, sadness for Vanessa Bryant, and an overwhelming heartache knowing Kobe was gone.
Chaos has broken out in the absence of Kobe Bryant. Thousands of fans are idolizing Kobe and thousands more are mourning. WSBT found a petition has been started to shut down TMZ. The youngest two Bryant girls (who are three-years-old and seven-months-old) must grow up without their father and their sister.
The idea people would taint this moment with fake news and videos is disgusting. Kobe was a legend, and he and his daughter deserved better than what happened to them and what happened after.