I was asked to confirm Kobe’s death

“There's been a lot of talk of me being a one-man show but that's simply not the case. We win games when I score 40 points and we've won when I score 10.”

—KOBE BRYANT

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

I JUST arrived in New York City’s Flushing district from Connecticut when I received calls from colleagues in the Philippine broadcast media while still inside the bus at past seven o’clock in the evening on January 26, 2020.

They were asking about the veracity of reports that Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California earlier that day.

Exactly two hours earlier while in Ledyard, Connecticut, I monitored the “flash” report and the news was so shocking every news outlet was focusing on the big story. 

I convinced myself the footage taken on the crash site was real and could not be manufactured, otherwise leading news networks wouldn’t report it like there was a national emergency.

Others thought it was a hoax or a “fake news” but I knew it was real.

From the bus, I sought sanctuary inside a commercial bank in Flushing pretending to use the ATM machine, but my intention was to use the area in order to focus on the long distance inquiries and be able to give a detailed report.

I confirmed the news and answered some of the questions from my Philippine broadcast media colleagues who started airing the “major” news in their respective radio programs.

The stories about COVID-19 weren’t yet earthshaking at that moment since it wasn’t yet a pandemic, thus the news about Bryant’s death sent shockwaves all over the world where basketball is a religion.  

 

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Bryant's death in that helicopter mishap was one of those moments people will always remember where they were when they heard the news.

"A lot of guys dropped to the floor and started crying," said Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr of his team's practice that day. "Nothing happened for 10 minutes. We all just sat there in silence. It was one of the worst moments of all of our lives. I don't think any of us will ever forget that day."

To mark the first anniversary, USA TODAY Sports looked back at that day and the days since It happened. 

Those who knew Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and the seven others who died were still reportedly trying to make sense of the crash, as are those who were fans of the NBA legend.

When the helicopter careened into a California hillside on the morning of Jan. 26, 2020, killing Kobe Bryant and the eight others on board, the initial response around the world was shock.

There were so many hows: How did this seemingly routine trip to a youth basketball game end in tragedy? How did the helicopter that Bryant used for years suddenly crash? How could this possibly have happened?

The facts surrounding the crash – from the pilot's experience, to the weather conditions, to the helicopter's safety features – are known one year later.

And a final determination on what caused the crash is now reportedly just weeks away.

 

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It was reported that the National Transportation Safety Board was set to release its final report on the incident on Feb. 9, including a proximate cause and subsequent safety recommendations.

The board has released 1,852 pages of factual evidence collected during its investigation, including interview transcripts, email records, text messages, photos, meteorological reports and video footage from cameras in the area, in the meantime.

"Accident investigation is really like putting a puzzle back together," said Anthony Brickhouse, a former NTSB investigator who is now an associate professor of aerospace safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as reported in USA TODAY. 

"(It's) really a meticulous process. It’s not something that happens overnight. It requires a lot of digging, a lot of research."

As investigators put the finishing touches on that final report, here's everything we know about the crash, based on documents released by the NTSB to date as reported by the USA TODAY:

At 8:39 on the morning of the crash, pilot Ara Zobayan sent a text message to the small group of people coordinating Bryant's trip – including his drivers, concierge and a representative from the helicopter company.

"Heli at OC," Zobayan wrote. "Standing by."

 

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Thirty minutes later, the helicopter was in the air, traveling from John Wayne-Orange County Airport to Camarillo, California, where the passengers would then be driven to a youth basketball game in nearby Thousand Oaks. Bryant was joined on the flight by his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna; John and Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa; Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton; and Christina Mauser, an assistant coach. 

The helicopter flew north for about 15 minutes before slowing down and circling near Glendale to make way for air traffic at a nearby airport. Then it followed a highway into the hills near Calabasas, flying between 400 feet and 600 feet above the ground.

"You just going to stay down low at that for all the way to Camarillo?" an air traffic controller asked Zobayan.

"Yes sir," the pilot replied. "Low altitude."

Minutes later, there was a shift change at the Southern California TRACON, which provides air traffic control services to airports in the region. And the helicopter was heading into increasingly mountainous terrain, where visibility that morning was poor.

When the new air traffic controller contacted Zobayan, the pilot said he was climbing above the clouds, to 4,000 feet. Instead, the helicopter got no more than 1,600 feet above the ground before banking left and descending rapidly, crashing into the hills. 

"That combination of the low-lying stratus layer, and also the relatively high-rising terrain – (it's) a common and, really, a deadly combination," said Jack Cress, a former helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps who is now an instructor in the Aviation Safety & Security Program at the University of Southern California.

Bryant regularly traveled by helicopter during and after his NBA career, in part to avoid the oft-gridlocked traffic in Los Angeles. And he regularly chartered flights with Island Express Helicopters, including 13 trips in 2019.

In fact, the helicopter involved in the crash – a Sikorsky S-76B – was the same machine that transported Bryant to his final game with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016.

Cress said the Sikorsky S-76 is generally well-regarded among pilots and has a strong safety record over decades of use. He noted that it has been the "helicopter of choice" for Queen Elizabeth II, among other top dignitaries, since 2009. Rest in peace, Kobe and all victims in that fatal chopper crash.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)

 

Ex-Ilonggo radioman loves Kobe Bryant more than Pacquiao

“If I panic, everyone else panics.”

—Kobe Bryant

By Alex P. Vidal

SOMETIME in the first week of March in 2008, I “abducted” my kumpare, Lynon Cortez, from his residence in downtown Los Angeles in California and brought him straight to the Hollywood.

“Maano ta di pare man? (What shall we do here, buddy?)” Cortez, a former radioman in Iloilo City in the Philippines, protested.

I asked pare Lynon to wait and relax inside the Nat’s Thai Food, a restaurant located on Vine Street and a stone throw away from the famous Wild Card Gym, where Sen. Manny Pacquiao was training.

When Pacquiao, who was then preparing for his rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15, 2008, entered the restaurant, I introduced pare Lynon. 

They shook hands and had photos taken together.

I noticed that unlike other US-based fans eager to get closer and shake the world boxing champion’s hands, pare Lynon was placid and unperturbed.

It was his first personal meeting with Pacquiao, he admitted, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t mesmerized by the boxer’s presence and didn’t give a damn that Pacquiao was a celebrity.

When pare Lynon did not flaunt his photos with Pacquiao to his friends and family, it gave me a hint he wasn’t interested with the eight-time world boxing titlist.

But, as a Filipino-American, he would root and place a bet for the popular Filipino boxer each time the latter fought the Mexican warriors like Oscar Larios, Marquez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Jorge Solis, and Emmanuel Lucero.

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A week ago, pare Lynon and I talked about the “celebration of life” event at the Staple Center held on February 24 where Los Angeles came to a stop to publicly memorialize Kobe and Gianna Bryant.

“I will definitely be there,” pare Lynon quipped. “I will report the event on RMN (Iloilo).  I’m a big Kobe Bryant fan. I really cried when I learned that he died.”

Pare Lynon loved Kobe Bryant not only because he was an NBA star, “but because he was a family man.”

Kobe Bryant was a model husband and father, according to pare Lynon, who watched Kobe in action at the Staple Center in the past several times. 

“He lived a clean life and loved his family so much,” stressed the former Ilonggo broadcaster, who once reprimanded a colleague for being a womanizer.

Pare Lynon was so excited to attend the memorial. “It’s a big event and I will do my best to be there,” he said.

Vanessa Bryant announced the public service on Instagram earlier this month and pointed out the symbolism in the date: 2/24/20.

Two for the number Gianna, aka “Mambacita,” wore.  Twenty-four for the number Kobe wore during the second half of his career. And twenty, for the years Kobe and Vanessa spent together.

According to records, Kobe and Gianna were buried in a private ceremony on Feb. 7.

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Pare Lynon shared to me what happened during the memorial at the Staple Center where another NBA legend Michael Jordan revealed he loved Kobe Bryant "like a little brother" and had tears streaming down his face, pulling back the curtain on the relationship between the greatest players of their respective generations.

Jordan said: “When Kobe died, a little piece of me died. Looking around the room, a piece of you died too, or else you wouldn't be here."

Shaquille O'Neal, another NBA star who views Kobe Bryant as a little brother, mirrored Jordan's blend of comedy and seriousness. He also compared their relationship to The Beatles' John Lennon-Paul McCartney dynamic.

Pare Lynon said it was late-night host Jimmy Kimmel who first spoke at the podium after a Bryant highlight reel before introducing Vanessa who chortled, "Thank you all so much for being here. It means so much to us." 

Vanessa began by talking about Gianna and how she always showed her love with a morning and nightly kiss.

"Gianna never tried to conform," Vanessa said. "She was always herself." 

She also lamented on what "Gigi" will not experience in this life: her wedding day, never driving a car or attending high school, the chance to become the best player in WNBA history.

"I miss you every day. I love you," Vanessa said. 

She then turned her eulogy toward Kobe, who she'd been with since she was 17 years old.

"He was my everything," she said. "Kobe loved more than I could express or put into words ... we balanced each other out. He would do anything for me.

"Kobe was the MVP of girl dads," added Vanessa, before telling stories about Kobe being a father to Gianna and his three other girls: Natalia, 17; Bianca, 3; and Capri, 8 months.

“God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other," Vanessa said. "He had to bring them home together. Babe, you take care of our Gigi. And I got Nati, Bibi and Coco. ... May you both rest in peace and have fun in heaven until we meet again one day." 

As she descended the stage, Michael Jordan helped her down the steps.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)

Goodbye, Kobe Bryant!

NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter were among five people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday, a source confirmed to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Bryant was 41.

Bryant was on his way to a travel basketball game with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant when the helicopter crashed, sources told Wojnarowski. Those aboard the helicopter also included another player and parent. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, there were no survivors of the crash. An investigation is ongoing.

The crash comes one day after Bryant was passed by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James for third place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. As late as 10:39 p.m. ET on Saturday, Bryant was active on social media, congratulating James on Twitter during the Lakers' 108-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

James inscribed his sneakers with "Mamba 4 Life" and "8/24 KB" in gold marker before the game, showing respect for Bryant, an 18-time All-Star with the Lakers who is eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. All week, in the lead-up to the milestone, he was quick to laud Bryant.

"It's another guy that I looked up to when I was in grade school and high school," James said. "Seeing him come straight out of high school, he is someone that I used as inspiration. It was like, wow. Seeing a kid, 17 years old, come into the NBA and trying to make an impact on a franchise, I used it as motivation. He helped me before he even knew of me because of what he was able to do. So, just to be able to, at this point of my career, to share the same jersey that he wore, be with this historical franchise and just represent the purple and gold, it's very humbling and it's dope.

"Kobe's a legend, that's for damn sure."

A 6-foot-6 small forward with the ability to swing up front and play point or shooting guard, Bryant entered the NBA straight out of high school. In 1996, he became the youngest player in NBA history.

He won five NBA titles in his time with the Lakers, as well as two Olympic gold medals playing for the United States. Now fourth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 33,643 points, Bryant won two NBA Finals MVP awards and one NBA regular-season MVP nod in 2008.

This week marked the 14-year anniversary of his 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors, still the second most points ever scored in an NBA game behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100.

Bryant passed his childhood idol, Michael Jordan, on the all-time scoring list in 2014. Jordan embraced Bryant, fueling his passion for the game. The two had a memorable matchup in Bryant's first All-Star Game selection in New York's Madison Square Garden, and later, when Jordan played for the Washington Wizards, Bryant scored 42 points in a half (en route to 55 for the game) against him.

"He knows how much I've learned from him," Bryant said of Jordan in 2014, "from the other legends and him in particular."

A native of Philadelphia, Bryant was selected No. 13 overall in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Lakers. He wore both No. 8 and 24 with the Lakers, both of which were retired by the franchise. He was credited with changing how NBA front offices viewed wing talent coming out of high school into the draft.

"I'm happy just to be in any conversation with Kobe Bean Bryant. One of the all-time greatest basketball players to ever play, one of the all-time greatest Lakers," James said Saturday night. "The man got two jerseys hanging up in Staples Center. It's just crazy."

Bryant is the only player in NBA history to have multiple jerseys retired by a single franchise.

On Nov. 29, 2015, Bryant announced that he intended to retire at the end of the season, which launched a farewell tour for the ages around the NBA. He played in 66 games that season for Los Angeles, averaging 17.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

In his final game, on April 13, 2016, he scored 60 points, leading the Lakers past the Utah Jazz 101-96.

 While Bryant was an unqualified star on the court, he did have controversy off it. He was accused of sexual assault in Colorado in 2003. The criminal case was dropped the next year, but Bryant still issued an apology. He said that he considered the encounter to be consensual but recognized that the woman "did not and does not view this incident the same way I did."

Bryant was married to Vanessa Laine Bryant in 2001, and they had four daughters together. His father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, is also a former NBA player.

A moment of silence was held at the first NBA game of the day Sunday -- the Nuggets' contest against the Rockets in Denver.

Bryant transitioned into a post-basketball life that was far from retirement. He won an Academy Award in 2018, taking home the Oscar for the animated short, "Dear Basketball." Bryant also created a children's book series, inspired by his love for Harry Potter, which became a New York Times best seller.

Bryant's death was first reported by TMZ. ESPN's Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.