Vanessa Bryant, and the families of the seven other people who died in the helicopter crash that killed late NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Bryant, have agreed to settle their lawsuit against the helicopter company.
According to NBC News, Island Express Helicopters, Inc., the company that operated the Sikorsky helicopter; its owner, Island Express Holding Corp.; the estate of the pilot, who died in the crash; and another company agreed to settle the claims.
The helicopter company reportedly has had three other crashes since 1985.
However, details of the settlement remain sealed.
Kobe and Gianna, 13, were killed in January 2020 when their helicopter crashed in the Hollywood Hills due to heavy fog.
The crash also killed Payton Chester, 13; Sarah Chester, 45; Alyssa Altobelli, 14; Keri Altobelli, 46; John Altobelli, 56; Christina Mauser, 38; and Ara Zobayan, 50.
The lawsuit is one of two that Vanessa filed following the tragic deaths of Kobe and Gianna. The other pending lawsuit alleges that Los Angeles County police officers and other employees inappropriately took and distributed graphic photos from the crash site.
The county condemned the pictures being shared but disputed the lawsuit as the photos were not given to the media.
“They were not publicly disseminated,” the county said via USA Today. “Plaintiff brought this lawsuit because she is concerned that photographs may be publicly disseminated. There is no legal basis for suing Defendants for hypothetical harm.”
Kobe joined the Lakers in 1996 after graduating high school. He spent his entire 20-year career with the team before retiring in 2016 with five championship wins and two NBA Finals MVP Awards.
Earlier this month, Vanessa celebrated the graduation of her daughter, Natalia Bryant.
“Daddy, Mommy, Gigi, Bianka and Capri are so proud of you @nataliabryant!!!” Vanessa captioned a pic. In addition to the letters, “USC,” the hat also featured a quote from Kobe reading, “Everything negative — pressure, challenges — is all an opportunity for me to rise.”
