Matt Barnes Recounts Conversation With Air Traffic Controller For Kobe Bryant’s Helicopter: It Gave Me Chills

Matt Barnes Recounts Conversation With Air Traffic Controller For Kobe Bryant’s Helicopter: It Gave Me Chills

More details are coming out about the people that were involved with the fatal helicopter crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant, and seven other victims.

Kobe Bryant & daughter Gianna Bryant

In a recent post, former NBA player Matt Barnes reflected on a recent conversation that he had with an air traffic controller for Kobe Bryant’s helicopter. Matt Barnes discussed in his car an interaction he had with an unnamed air traffic controller that walked up to him in the supermarket. Matt Barnes said that he and the air traffic controller sat down in the supermarket for about 30 minutes discussing the details of the tragic crash.

Matt and the air traffic controller discussed the conversations that he had with the pilot, Ara Zobayan, and what the pilot was doing, he also revealed to Matt that he is still shaken up by the incident and has to seek counseling.

Ara Zobayan

The air traffic controller also said that he is still being questioned about the incident. The two ended up exchanging numbers with one another and once the air traffic controller is allowed to speak after the investigation, Matt and his podcast co host Stephen Jackson will bring him on their show, “All the Smoke”.

The air traffic controller said he wanted to clear up a lot of the rumors circulating about the incident. Matt says that he has chills from the conversation and really misses “his brother” Kobe Bryant. He also saw the post that Kobe’s widow Vanessa Bryant posted a few days ago commemorating what would have been she and Kobe’s 19th wedding anniversary.

Former NBA star #MattBarnes says he was approached by the air traffic controller for #KobeBryant’s helicopter ?? pic.twitter.com/J5F5n5YzDO

— theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) April 24, 2020

This news from Matt Barnes comes days after we reported that the other families impacted in the helicopter crash are also following Vanessa Bryant’s lead and are suing the helicopter company.

According to the New York Post, both the Altobelli and Mauser families have also filed wrongful death lawsuits. Baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, and daughter Keri and Alyssa, as well as girls basketball coach Christina Mauser, were on board the helicopter with the Bryants when it fatally crashed. Court documents read these allegations against the helicopter company:

“[Island Express] negligently and carelessly breached its duty to own, lease, manage, maintain, control, entrust, charter and operate the helicopter in question in a reasonable manner.”

The families continued, citing that the accident caused:

“…an insurmountable amount of anguish on every level — physical, emotional, mental and otherwise.”