Kobe and Vanessa Bryant agreed to 'never fly on a helicopter together': report

Kobe Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, reportedly didn't fly on helicopters together for a reason.

A source told People that the late NBA legend, who married his wife in 2001, "only" flew in helicopters with pilot Ara Zobayan, who was killed in the Sunday helicopter accident that also killed Kobe, his daughter, Gianna, and six other teammates, parents and coaches. Kobe was 41 and Gianna was 13.

According to the source, Kobe "and Vanessa had a deal that they would never fly on a helicopter together," likely to avoid an unimaginable worst-case scenario situation in which their four daughters would lose both of them.

The couple's reported agreement has come to light after a 2018 Kobe interview surfaced in which he opened up about deciding to travel by helicopters in order to spend more time with his children.

"I was sitting in traffic and I wound up missing like a school play," the former Lakers star said at the time. "I had to figure out a way where I could still train and focus on the craft but still not compromise family time. So that’s when I looked into helicopters, to be able to get down and back in 15 minutes and that’s when it started."

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant, 37, shared four daughters: Natalia, 17, Gianna, 13, Bianka, 3, and Capri, eight months.