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Vanessa Bryant is looking to move on from the tragic helicopter crash that killed her husband, Kobe Bryant , and 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, last year.
The mother of four--along with the other families affected by the tragedy--has reportedly settled a wrongful death lawsuit against Island Express Helicopters, the company that operated the aircraft involved in the deaths of Kobe, Gianna, and seven others on January 26, 2020.
According to reports from ABC 7, Bryant and her co-plaintiffs reached a confidential settlement with the company earlier this week, which comes nearly 17 months after the fatal helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The passengers on board with the Kobe and Gianna—Alyssa Altobelli, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, and Christina Mauser—were all killed in the crash, along with the helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan, whose estate was listed as a defendant.
The Altobelli, Chester, and Mauser families were all reportedly involved in the settlement, but as of now, the terms of the agreement--which has yet to be approved by the court--have not been disclosed.
It was revealed that Vanessa Bryant was filing a wrongful death lawsuit less than a month after the tragic incident last year. The 72-page, 27-count lawsuit argued the incident was “a direct result of the negligent conduct of Zobayan for which Defendant Island Express Helicopters is vicariously liable in all respects.” It also alleged that the pilot failed to “use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft.”
In the lawsuit, Bryant sought damages—punitive, economic, and non-economic—as well as prejudgment interest and “other relief as the Court deems just and proper.” The suit went on to say, “Kobe Bryant’s future lost earnings equals hundreds of millions of dollars.”
It should go without saying that there is no amount of money in the world can bring back any of the victims killed in that helicopter crash--but the recognition of wrong-doing and neglect is important to these grieving families, nonetheless.
Vanessa Bryant has had her hands full taking care of business following her husband’s passing, recently ending his longtime deal with Nike after not being able to come to an agreement. Following the termination of their relationship, shoes she designed in honor of her daughter Gigi were seemingly given out by the brand without her permission, causing Bryant to call them out.