Joe Bryant, 65, a retired NBA star, was spotted leaving the Las Vegas home he shares with Kobe’s mother, Pamela, after a bouquet of flowers was delivered on Monday afternoon. This is the first time he has been seen in public since the tragic loss of his son and granddaughter.
Neighbors have reported that Joe and Pamela’s lives have been drastically affected by the tragedy. They conveyed their devastation and the sudden and profound impact on their lives.
A neighbor, who reached out to support the grieving family, shared, “I talked to them twice yesterday and took over food and a card, and briefly today, they are just devastated, as you can imagine. It’s a private, awful moment, losing their son and grand-daughter, it’s just horrific. I was talking to Joe briefly the day before, we were out for a walk, it was all happy and good and talking about the gorgeous weather and then it switched in 24 hours where their lives were turned upside down.”
The neighbor also emphasized the closeness of Joe and Pamela with their daughters Sharia and Shaya who live in Las Vegas, and how the family has been coming together during this difficult time. The neighbor added, “They just need their peace, it’s been nonstop since yesterday. They were here this morning and yesterday. It’s a sensitive time, I can’t even imagine what they’re going through. They are lovely, kind, decent people.”
Kobe’s former coach and best friend of his father Joe, Wayne Slappy, shared with DailyMail.com his observations of the family’s struggle in coping with the devastating loss of Kobe and Gianna. He described the emotional turmoil as a ‘black hole’ that has left them feeling empty.
Slappy expressed, “Can you imagine a black hole? It’s empty, how do you fill it? They’re a close-knit family. He was 41-years-old, and then his daughter dies in an accident with him too.” He further added, “His family are going to miss him more than you can begin to imagine. I know NBA players whose kids can’t stand them, they never spent any time with them. That ain’t Kobe. He grew up with his family loving each other. He was doing the same thing his father did for him, for his daughters, to the best of his ability.”
Kobe Bryant, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, passed away in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles on Sunday. The NBA legend leaves behind wife Vanessa, daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, three, seven-month-old Capri, and his parents and sisters Sharia and Shaya.
