Shockwaves spread today as it was reported that Kobe Bryant died. The legendary shooting guard for the Lakers was in a helicopter crash that killed him and four others. While it was unclear who else was with Bryant at the time of his death, TMZ Sports confirmed that his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Maria Onore, was one of the passengers.
Gianna and Kobe were on their way to the Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks. The two are survived by Kobe’s wife, Vanessa, and his daughters Natalia, Bianca and Capri.
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Kobe explained that when fans told him that he needed to have a son to carry on his legacy, Gianna said she could handle it herself.
As the tributes pour in, many are remembering the impact Kobe had in sports. A few years ago, he thanked the Latino community for their support. “Latino fans are important to me, because when I arrived [in Los Angeles] they were the fans who most passionately embraced me,” he said. “So I told them, ‘Give me two or three years so that I can learn a little bit of Spanish.’ Now, my Spanish is not that good, but I can speak a little. They mean everything to me.”