LOS ANGELES, CA (SNN-TV) – It’s been three years since Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash on a foggy California morning January 26th, 2020.
The retired NBA star, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others were flying to a basketball tournament at his sports academy in Thousand Oaks when the chopper crashed into a Calabasas hillside. Everyone on board was killed.
A year-long investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found that pilot error was likely the cause of the accident. Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Island Express Helicopters. It was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2021. Last year, Vanessa was awarded $16M in a lawsuit against L.A. County over graphic photos of Kobe and Gianna that were allegedly taken at the crash scene by first responders.
Vanessa Bryant donated the funds to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. The nonprofit continues Kobe and Gianna’s legacies, by creating opportunities to underprivileged young athletes.