Kobe Bryant's rep and family have had enough of some media outlets' "inaccurate" reporting following his fatal helicopter crash on Sunday (January 26), which additionally claimed the life of the NBA legend's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna (Gigi), and seven more passengers.
"We are disappointed in some media's broad use of unnamed sources and blind quotes, and remind everyone that the Bryant family will speak on our own behalf when appropriate," Molly Carter, president of Kobe Inc., said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times on Thursday (January 30). "To this point, no one has been authorized to speak on behalf of the family regarding any personal details surrounding Sunday's tragedy, including stories related to the family's previous air travel decisions."
"We ask members of the media for respect and responsible judgment during this difficult time," she added. "These inaccurate reports only add unnecessary pain to a grieving family."
Molly's statement comes just days after Kobe's wife, Vanessa, broke her silence on the tragic accident on Instagram. "My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time. Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them. We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri," she wrote on Wednesday (January 29). "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."
Vanessa continued, "I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon. I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them. But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless — and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever."
She concluded her post by thanking those who continue to support her and her family during this difficult time, and directed her followers to the Mamba Sports Foundation's MambaOnThree Fund "to help support the other families affected by this tragedy."
Photo: Getty Images