The Los Angeles Lakers organization Wednesday evening made its first extensive comments on Sunday’s helicopter crash that claimed the life of Kobe Bryant, his 13-yeaar-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others.
“We are devastated and have been forever changed by the sudden loss of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. We send our love to Vanessa, the Bryant family and to the families of the other passengers,” the statement on the team’s Twitter and Instagram accounts read.
“Words cannot express what Kobe means to the Los Angeles Lakers, our fans and our city. More than a basketball player, he was a beloved father, husband, and teammate. Their love and light will remain in our hearts forever.”
The statement also reminded fans that the Mamba Sports Foundation has established the MambaOnThree fund to support the families affected by the is tragedy, directing them to MambaOnThree.org, where fans can submit their email address so they can be contacted once it begins accepting donations.
The Lakers also asked fans “inspired to continue Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports” to visit the website MambaSportsFoundation.org.
When the Lakers confirmed Tuesday that their game against the Clippers that night had been postponed, they thanked “all of you for the tremendous outpouring of support and condolences.”
“This is a very difficult time for all of us,” the team said in Tuesday’s statement. “We continue to support the Bryant family and will share more information as it is available.”