Husband Of Coach Killed In Kobe Bryant Crash Speaks Out About Losing His Wife
Christina Mauser was one of nine killed in Bryant’s helicopter
As more details emerge about the lives lost during the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, the husband of basketball coach Christina Mause,r who was also killed in the horrific accident, has spoken out.
Matt Mauser spoke about his “extraordinary” wife after her death at just 38 years old. Mauser was interviewed via phone by Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb on TODAY and his words are a gut punch as we think about the incredible loss he must be feeling.
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“She was extraordinary,” he told Guthrie and Kotb. “She was incredibly witty, funny, funny like nobody you’ve ever met. … She was warm, she was incredibly bright, she was technologically incredibly savvy. She could figure out anything.” Christina and Matt have three children.
“I got three small kids, and I’m trying to figure out how to navigate life with three kids and no mom,” Mauser continued. “I’m scared. I think more than anything I’m a little scared about the future.”
Bryant, his daughter, and Mauser were three of nine people killed when Bryant’s helicopter went down in Calabasas, California. Though no official word has been given as to the cause of the crash, CNN reported low visibility, but said the helicopter was given the green light to take off.
The Mausers both taught at a small private school that Bryant’s daughters had attended. She was also an assistant coach under Bryant on the travel team that included Bryant’s daughter Gianna. The group was traveling to a basketball game at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy when the crash occurred.
“Kobe took these kids from private school and just made them gritty and tough,” he said. “He was dedicated and so was my wife. They were dedicated to these girls.”
He said Bryant appreciated Christina’s ability to teach zone defense. “He saw what an amazing mind she had for basketball,” he said. “They called her the ‘Mother of Defense,’ MOD. It was a family. They all really cared about each other.”
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Mauser said he and his kids only turned on the TV yesterday briefly to learn more details about the crash that killed his wife and their mother. “We watched ‘SportsCenter’ for two seconds and everything was about how much everybody was mourning and hurting and (my daughter) said it was nice to know that everybody was hurting along with us,” he said. “I know that sounds odd, but that kind of helped.”
As millions of tributes pour in to celebrate the life of Bryant, there are so many others grieving the loss of Christina and the other people on board who tragically lost their lives.
