Rick Fox Talks about How Being Falsely Reported Dead in Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash Affected His Family

Former Lakers star and actor, Rick Fox, cleared the air on a false statement that he was in the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and some other individuals.

The veteran basketball revealed to the hosts on TNT special how tumultuous it was when his family thought that he had died.

As some media source reported that Rick was among victims of the fatal accident, he began getting calls from his loved ones which made him even more unsettled.

The retired basketball player wasn't ultimately concerned about himself, but the rest of his family members whom he feared were panicky.

Furthermore, Rick explained that his kids reached out to him, then his friend and followed by his mother and siblings. The actor also established his excitement to be alive, he said :

"I'm glad that's over with, but it was hard to deal with because it shook a lot of people in my life."

Thankfully, his family didn't have to worry anymore, after confirming that he was well and wasn't onboard the crashed helicopter.

Sadly this wasn't the same for the families of the accident victims. The death count was nine in total, involving people who share close relationships.

Lakers stars like Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, among others, delved into the life of their deceased teammate.

Apart from the renowned basketball player Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter, Gianna, was also on the crash. Gianna's teammate and friend alongside her parents, and basketball coach died after the accident.

Another recorded fatality was the death of Kobe's family friend and daughter, who joined in on the helicopter ride. Rick, who is also a friend to Kobe, stated that he and his daughter were sober after the news broke out. In his words:

"...she fortunately called me, and we were just talking and crying about the news of Kobe."

In the course of the discussion, other former Lakers stars like Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, among others, delved into the life of their deceased teammate.

Having had contact with him during his two decades career in sports, the men did justice by touching down on his legacy and impact in the world of sports.

As the show was about to end, Shaquille commented on Rick not answering his call when he checked in to see if he was okay.

Kobe's end was an untimely and tragic death which shook the world. However, fans, teammates, and family are grateful that Rick Fox is still very much alive.