As all of you know by now, one of the greatest NBA players in the history of the game, Kobe Bryant, passed away earlier today in a helicopter crash. There were other passengers on the helicopter, including his 13-year old daughter Gianna. John Altobelli, a baseball coach at Orange Coast College, has also been confirmed as one of the passengers who passed away. The other passengers on board have yet to be confirmed.
This news obviously puts a damper on tonight’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view for the fans and the wrestlers involved with the show. Many wrestlers found out while backstage at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
There is still a ton of reaction pouring in on social media but here is a small sample of some of the reactions from wrestlers, including many in WWE and AEW, as they learned about Kobe’s passing.