Shaq To Donate Super Bowl Event Proceeds to Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation

Shaquille O'Neal will still stage his Super Bowl party while mourning the death of Kobe Bryant.

Shaquille O'Neal plans to donate all proceeds from his Super Bowl event in Miami to the families of the victims of Sunday's California helicopter crash that claimed the life of his teammate Kobe Bryant. 

“Been going back and forth the past couple of days on if I should even have my event in Miami this weekend,” Shaq wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. “Part of me wanted to stay to myself as I reflect what my brother and his family mean to me and my family. But in thinking what would Kobe want, what would he do? Kobe would want us to push through and celebrate life. So let’s do just that. I'll be dedicating and donating all my proceeds from Friday nights Fun House to all the families who lost loved ones and to the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation. Together we will celebrate all those who lost their lives in Sunday's tragedy. RIP my brother, my friend and my homie, The Black Mamba. Until we meet again.”

Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine passengers killed in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday morning. They were en route to a game at Mamba Sports Academy in Newbury Park when the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter went down in Calabasas and a fire broke out. Authorities and officials are continuing to investigate what went wrong when the plane went down. Two of Gianna Bryant's teammates, an assistant coach, the helicopter pilot and three other adults were killed in the crash.

O'Neal reacted to the news on Twitter by saying, "There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy." He appeared on TNT on Tuesday night and was in tears during a tribute. 

“I haven’t felt a pain that sharp in a while.. it definitely changes me.”’@SHAQ on the loss of his brother, Kobe. pic.twitter.com/dM5i0DDgGK

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 29, 2020

O'Neal and Bryant led the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002.