Kobe Bryant's sisters have released their first public statement almost a week after the devastating helicopter accident that claimed the lives of Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, according to NewsOne.
Sharia Washington and Shaya Tabb's statement was accompanied by personal family photos that included the siblings together and photos of their nieces.
“On behalf of our family, we join Vanessa, Natalia, Bianka and Capri in grieving the loss of Kobe and Gianna in such a tragic accident. We are devastated by the loss of our brother, son, our niece and granddaughter, and our hearts go out to all the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday," the statement read.
"Our lives are forever changed. Thank you for your prayers, the numerous calls, texts, emails and cards," it continued. "Please visit MambaOnThree.org to support the families affected by Sunday’s tragedy and to honor Kobe and Gianna’s legacy, please visit: MambaSportsFoundation.org #Mambacita #Mamba #Family #GirlsDad.”
But this wasn't the first time the sisters, both of whom live in Las Vegas according to Cheat Sheet, publicly acknowledged Kobe's death. The day after the tragic incident, Washington posted a collage of photos of her, her siblings and nieces to Facebook.
Kobe once posted a photo of him and his sisters as young children in 2017 and 2018 for National Sibling Day.
Expressions of sympathy and fond remembrances of Kobe and Gianna from those who knew them have been abundant.
Shaquille O’Neal recently gave a heart-wrenching tribute to Kobe during NBA on TNT while his colleagues looked on, as Blavity previously reported. Through tears, Shaq said he was still troubled by the loss of his baby sister and Bryant's death, which was like "losing a little brother."
“The last couple months have been really tough. I lost my little sister. I haven’t been doing the normal things I usually do. I work, we laugh, we kid, we joke. When I get back home I look at reality and say she’s gone and it just hurts," the 47-year-old said.
"So the other day I’m downstairs working with my son Shaqir and my nephew Columbus and my other nephew comes in crying, and he shows me his phone, and I snapped at him. I said, ‘Man get that out of my face,'" O'Neal said, citing the prevalence of internet death hoaxes and photoshopped pictures as a reason he initially recoiled from what he thought was false news.
“I lost two grandmothers, lost a Sarge, lost my sister. And now I lost a little brother,” he said. “Our names will be attached together for what we did. People always asked about our relationship, and I tell them it’s just like me and Charles. You got two strong-minded people who are gonna get it done their way, gonna say certain things, the respect will never be lost but when it comes to be inside the lines and win. That's what me and him, that's what we did.”
False information played a major role in early accident reports as some outlets claimed, among other inaccuracies, that former Lakers player Rick Fox was also a passenger on board. O'Neal was fearful when he called Fox and couldn't reach him.
Fox spoke about the confusing and disorienting experience on the TNT broadcast and how it affected his family.
Vanessa Bryant was understandably private during the aftermath following confirmation of her husband's and young daughter's deaths. She released a statement this week thanking everyone for their showings of love and support while further requesting privacy while their families "navigate this new reality."
"We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately. There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved," she said.
