Kylie Jenner reveals surprise connection in Kobe Bryant tribute

Kylie Jenner has shared a heartfelt Instagram tribute to the victims of the helicopter crash that saw NBA great Kobe Bryant killed, revealing her unexpected connection to the tragedy.

The 21-year-old makeup mogul explained she was actually a frequent user of the helicopter that went down and was familiar with pilot Ara Zobayan who also died in the crash.

“Ara was such a nice man,” she wrote alongside pictures of the nine victims of the crash.

Kylie reportedly used the helicopter to take niece Dream out for her birthday as recently as November 2019.

Dream, the daughter of brother Rob and Blac Chyna, was celebrating her third birthday when the pair used the aircraft, according to TMZ who originally broke the story of the tragedy on Monday.

The accident killed Kobe as well as his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.

Pilot Ara was also killed in the crash as were the six other passengers aboard the Sikorsky S-76B.

Tributes flow for Kobe Bryant at Grammys

The news triggered an outpouring of grief from fans and friends alike, with the 2020 Grammy Awards turning into a tribute event.

The 62nd annual Grammy Awards show was hosted at the NBA great’s iconic home stadium the Staples Centre, with celebrities sharing their grief about the news.

Superstar Lizzo made mention of the basketball icon before opening the show, and host Alicia Keys addressed the tragedy on stage in an emotional opening speech.

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