LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the tragic deaths of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, wife and mother Vanessa Bryant made a plea on social media asking that media coverage honor their lives, rather than showing video of their death.
On Jan. 26, 2020, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed when their helicopter plunged into a steep hillside in dense morning fog in Southern California. The former Lakers star was 41.

On Jan. 15, Vanessa Bryant posted the following post to the Instagram social media platform:
“I want to thank everyone that has handled their media coverage respectfully. ♥️To everyone else, please reconsider your “news story” and look at your footage through the eyes of their children , parents, spouse, siblings and family. Celebrate their lives, not the day they lost them. In preparation of 1/26, Scroll
Vanessa Bryant, wife of late Kobe Bryant, mother of Gianna Bryant
Honoring members of the Altobelli family outside Angel Stadium. The photo below shows Coach John Altobelli, 56, far right, his wife, Keri, 43, second from left, and his daughter Alyssa, 13, left, who also died in the helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in Calabasas, California.

Comments of the social media post by Vanessa Bryant showed support for Bryant and her family. The post currently has 2.4 million likes.
On Feb. 24, 2020, Vanessa Bryant spoke during a celebration of life ceremony for her husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna in Los Angeles.

Vanessa Bryant on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County sheriff claiming negligence, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress after deputies allegedly shared unauthorized photos of the crash that killed her husband, their 13-year-old daughter and seven others.
