UPDATE (1/26/20 at 5:45 p.m. ET): The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department confirmed that nine people were on the helicopter that crashed in Calabasas on Jan. 26. All nine passengers — eight plus the pilot — died in the horrific crash.
Kobe Bryant is dead at just 41 years old, and Hollywood is absolutely rocked by the tragic news. After the news broke that the Los Angeles Lakers legend had been killed in a helicopter crash, tributes began pouring in on social media, as fans and stars alike began finding out about the news. One of the first people to react to Kobe’s death was Cardi B, who took to Twitter to simply write, “F***in terrible,” with a crying emoji. After a few hours, Taylor Swift tweeted, “My heart is in pieces hearing the news of this unimaginable tragedy. I can’t fathom what the families are going through. Kobe meant so much to me and to us all. Sending my prayers, love, and endless condolences to Vanessa and the family and anyone who lost someone on that flight.”
Jordyn Woods also took to Twitter to simply write, “No words,” with a broken heart emoji. Khloe Kardashian wrote, “Please don’t let this be true. I’m shaking.” She also included a broken heart emoji to her message, and later added, “This can’t be real. There’s no way!!!!! My heart hurts.” Chrissy Teigen had a similar sentiment, writing, “I cannot believe this is real. My God. Oh my God.” Jimmy Kimmel wrote, “He was great,charismatic & among the hardest-working athletes ever,but what impressed me most was how deeply-involved Kobe was with his 4 daughters. Pray for them, Vanessa, his parents & his fellow passengers’ families on this sad and shocking day. We will never forget you Kobe.”
Meanwhile, Gigi Hadid shared a sweet photo of herself celebrating her 11th birthday with a Kobe-themed cake. She captioned the image, “Shocked and heartbroken. Way too soon. Rest in peace & power, Legend — being a fan of yours brought so much joy to my life. Sending my strength, love and deepest condolences to the Bryant family.” Demi Lovato shared a throwback photo of herself with Kobe, with the caption, “This makes me so sad. Kobe you were always so sweet to me. Known you over 10 years…not super well but we always joked about you coming over and playing that game of horse! You will be so missed by so many. You’re a legend with wings now.”
Kim Kardashian posted a photo of Kobe with his daughter, Gianna, who also died in the crash, and wrote, “My heart is so heavy. No one should ever experience what the families involved are going through. This has affected us all so much but I cannot begin to imagine what Vanessa is feeling losing her husband and her baby girl. I cry just thinking about it. I am praying for the Bryant family, the Altobelli family and the families of all who perished in this unthinkable tragedy.”
My heart is in pieces hearing the news of this unimaginable tragedy. I can’t fathom what the families are going through. Kobe meant so much to me and to us all. Sending my prayers, love, and endless condolences to Vanessa and the family and anyone who lost someone on that flight.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) January 26, 2020
Another touching tweet came from Reese Witherspoon, who wrote, “Just devastated to hear about #KobeBryant. An extraordinary athlete, and a genuinely kind, wonderful man. Sending love, prayers & compassion to his family. To his entire @NBA family, as well.”
Justin Bieber was extremely devastated by the news, as well. He shared a super old photo of himself and Kobe, and he captioned it, “It can’t be. You always encouraged me mamba. Gave me some of the best quotes that we smile about to this day! Love you man!”
Vanessa Hudgens, who is also a fan of Kobe’s former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, wrote on Instagram, “I’m. So. Sad. Devastated. Cryyyying. Too soon to lose such a legend. Sending so much love to Vanessa and the kids.” Fellow sports legend, Tom Brady, wrote, “We miss you already Kobe,” and Dwyane Wade tweeted, “Nooooooooo God please no!” Kris Jenner wrote the following message: “Devastated by the news of losing our precious Kobe Bryant. Words cannot express our sadness. All my deepest love and prayers are with Vanessa and Kobe’s family at this time.”
Kobe was killed when his private helicopter crashed in Calabasas on the morning of Jan. 26. Five people were confirmed to be dead in the fiery crash, and TMZ was the first to report that Kobe was one of the civilians onboard. It was later reported that his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also a victim of the horrific accident. Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, just gave birth to the pair’s fourth daughter, Capri, in June 2019.
The crash took place around 10:00 a.m., officials confirmed to the Los Angeles Times. Unfortunately, due to heavy fog in the area, rescue workers had difficulty reaching the aircraft after it caught on fire. No homes in the area were impacted, and no people on the ground were injured. However, sadly, all of the people in the helicopter passed away. Our thoughts are with Kobe’s family and loved ones during this terrible time.