Ara Zobayan Wiki

Ara Zobayan was the man who was flying Kobe Bryant’s helicopter when it tragically crashed. On January 26, Ara was flying a helicopter but unfortunately, it crashed in Calabasas, California.

The FAA confirmed that the helicopter involved in the Jan. 26 crash was a Sikorsky S-76, with the registration N72EX — the same number that could be seen on Kobe’s private helicopter in previous photos. At approximately 10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on January 26, 2020, Bryant and four others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

It is reported that Gianna was one among them, TMZ reported that Kobe’s daughter Gianna Maria Onore — aka GiGi — was also on board the helicopter and died in the crash … reps for Kobe tell TMZ Sports. She was 13. Along with the Bryants, Zobayan and six other people died in the crash.

Three of those have been named as Orange Coast College coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa. Another victim was later named Christina Mauser, a high school coach at Harbor Day School in Corona del Mar. As well as Sarah and Payton Chester.

Bryant was in Philadelphia last night to watch LeBron James pass him for third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. James set the record in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 108-91 loss to the 76ers, scoring 33,655 points in his career. Bryant, who retired in 2016 after spending his career with the Lakers, scored 33,643 points.

Ara Zobayan Career

Zobayan was an experienced flyer who “taught aspiring heli pilots to fly and was very much loved in the aviation community,” KTLA’s Christina Pascucci, who is also a licensed pilot.

Furthermore, he was “instrument-rated,” Pascucci said, meaning that he “was rated to fly in fog/clouds” — the conditions that plagued Sunday’s flight. Additionally, he taught aspiring heli pilots to fly and was very much loved in the aviation community.

In July 2013 episode of Celebrity Wife Swap, he was on one of the episodes. In the episode, he was featured on Lorenzo Lamas’ episode of “Celebrity Wife Swap” alongside comedian Andy Dick.

On Twitter user named Bella wrote “Rest In Peace Ara. One of the sweetest pilots I’ve ever have had the pleasure to meet and converse with while working in the aviation business,” and added “the sweetest, the funniest… he was purely amazing.”

Later, in another tweet she wrote “Working for the aviation business has allowed me to meet some pretty amazing people and pilots. Ara was definitely one of them,” and “Always so nice, talkative and especially attentive when it came to Kobe and his family. I’m heartbroken.”

Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant passed away in the Helicopter crash.

Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant was born in 2006 and was 13 years old during her time of death. Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant was also known as Gigi has shown her father’s athletic talent from a young age. With her father constantly present and cheering her on from the sidelines, Gianna attracted online attention for her Mamba-like moves, though she’s only 13 years old.

TMZ and Sports Illustrated were the first to report that Gianna was with her father when the helicopter crashed. Early reports say that Bryant and his daughter were on their way to one of her basketball games when the helicopter crashed.

Later, TMZ reported that Bryant had stated in the past that his daughter was “hellbent” on playing college basketball for the University of Connecticut, a historical powerhouse for women’s basketball.