Photo: Michael Tullberg/Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty
Shaquille O’Nealis showing his support forVanessa Bryant.
In an interview withEntertainment Tonighton Thursday, the former NBA star, 50, praised the lateKobe Bryant’s wife for “holding people responsible” following his death in January 2020.
“I feel for her,” O’Neal said toET. “We’ve never talked a lot [but] we’ve always had respect for each other. Every time I see her, it’s a hug, it’s a laugh.”
Vanessa, 40, is currently seeking damages for emotional distress and mental anguish following the news thateight L.A. County Sheriff’s Department deputies allegedly took graphic photographsof the January 2020 helicopter-crash victims and shared them with unauthorized people.
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty
This is not the first time O’Neal has shown support for his late teammate’s family after his passing. In Kobe’s celebration of life in February, O’Neal delivered a heartfelt tribute where he reflected on their friendship and the memorable moments they shared as Los Angeles Lakers teammates.
Beginning his speech at the then-named Staples Center, O’Neal admitted that speaking at a celebration of life for Bryant — who he called “heaven’s MVP” — felt surreal and was still incredibly difficult for him to process.
“When I ever imagined speaking to a group of people about Kobe Bryant, I usually pictured it in a context of a Hall of Fame induction or as a guest speaker at one of Kobe and Vanessa’s foundation events, but never did I imagine that I would be here speaking today … and it pains me to my core,” he said.
O’Neal also promised to continue Bryant’s legacy and be there for his family, ending the heartfelt tribute on a sweet note.
RELATED VIDEO: Vanessa Bryant Says She ‘Broke Down’ After Learning of Crash Site Photos of Kobe, Gianna: ‘I Can’t Escape’
On Friday, Vanessadelivered an emotional testimonythat gave an intimate and gut-wrenching look into what she experienced since the deaths of her husband and their 13-year-old daughter,Gianna, in a helicopter crash.
During her nearly three-hour testimony, Vanessa said she felt helpless after learning members of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and other emergency personnel allegedly shared graphic images of Kobe, Gianna, and the seven other victimsof the January 2020 accident.
The revelation, she told a Federal Court, has caused her to “live in fear every day of being on social media and having these photos pop up.”
“I want to remember my husband and my daughter the way that they were,” explained Vanessa. “I don’t ever want to see these photographs. I have three little girls!”
Vanessa Bryant arrives at Federal Court to testify Friday.Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty
While on the stand, she recalled visiting the Lost Hills Sheriff Station the morning of the accident and asking Sheriff Alex Villanueva to protect the Calabasas crash site from the paparazzi.
“If you can’t bring my babies back, can you please secure the area?” Vanessa recalled telling Villanueva at the station.
Just three days later, the photo-sharing allegations amongst the first responders came to light in an article in theLos Angeles Timespublished on Feb. 27, 2020.
“I trusted them not to do these things,” the bereaved mother said during her testimony, adding that she was angry with the sheriff and fire departments for not telling her about the pictures being shared.
While speaking of Kobe and Gianna, Vanessa said she still says a prayer for the two every night.
“As a mom, all you want to do is protect your babies,” she said, adding that Gianna had “the kindest heart” and is still “my sunshine.”
“[Gianna] was competitive, funny, and thoughtful,” she explained. “She was a daddy’s girl.”
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Vanessa also said Kobe relished his role as a father to their daughters, and his famously competitive persona was left at the door whenever he returned home.
“He was this well-known and beloved icon to some people, but at home, he was just Kobe, just daddy,” Vanessa recalled. “He knew he didn’t rule the household. He was outnumbered. He was like, ‘I’m happy taking care of business on the court. You run the house.'”
When asked if Kobe was her best friend, Vanessa replied, “He is still my best friend.”
source: people.com
