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Kobe Bryant Tearfully Remembered as Loving 'Girl Dad' by Reporter

By Paige Gawley‍
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Kobe Bryant loved being a dad.

Chrissy Teigen took to Instagram on Monday to share a clip of ESPN reporter Elle Duncan giving a "beautiful and heart wrenching" on-air tribute to the late NBA star, who died on Sunday in a helicopter accident with eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.

In the clip, Duncan recalled meeting Bryant two years ago when she was "13 months pregnant" and asking him for advice on raising a daughter. At the time, Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, were parents to three girls, Gianna, Natalia, 17, and Bianka, 3. They welcomed their fourth daughter, Capri, last June.

"He said, 'Just be grateful that you've been given that gift because girls are amazing,'" she shared of the advice he gave.

Duncan continued her conversation with Bryant by asking if he and Vanessa wanted more children.

"He said that his wife, Vanessa, really wanted to try again for a boy, but was sort of jokingly concerned that it would be another girl," she recalled.  "And I was like, 'Four girls! Are you joking? What would you think? How would you feel?' And without hesitation, he said, 'I would have five more girls if I could. I'm a girl dad.'" 

The conversation continued with Bryant speaking highly about his daughters' athletic abilities.

"He said that his oldest daughter was an accomplished volleyball player and that the youngest was a toddler, so TBD," she said, before tearfully describing what Bryant said about GiGi. "But that middle one, he said, 'That middle one was a monster. She's a beast. She's better than I was at her age. She's got it.' That middle one, of course, was GiGi."

"When I reflect on this tragedy and that half an hour I spent with Kobe Bryant two years ago, I suppose that the only small source of comfort for me is knowing that he died doing what he loved the most, being a dad. Being a girl dad," she concluded.

In the comment section of Teigen's post, Duncan wrote, "Chrissy I just keep thinking about his face when he talked about them."

In an Instagram post, Duncan gave more details about her meeting with Bryant, writing in part, "I left so impressed with his ability to exist normally in a space where he was being fawned and followed. How he took time for this real pregnant women he didn’t know to have a real convo with a line of people waiting for a moment just to reassure her."

"I’m glad to have had that brief time with him," she added. "I’m so sorry that 4th girl won’t know her dad."

View this post on Instagram

I met Kobe Bryant one time.. we were doing ESPN upfronts together in NYC. He came over and started talking to me about my impending baby (as you can see I was 13 months pregnant). I asked if he had advice on raising girls— he said “Just be grateful you’ve been given that gift, girls are amazing.” He bragged for a few minutes about what his 3 daughters were doing and how tough they were. He commented his wife Vanessa wanted to try for a boy but was jokingly concerned it would be another girl.. I said “How would you feel about that?” WITHOUT hesitation he said “I WOULD HAVE 5 MORE GIRLS IF I COULD.. I’m a girl dad I love the challenge of raising women.” Little did I know he would have that 4th girl. Or that I would sit backstage for half an hour chatting up the GOAT about his new retired life and what was ahead. I left so impressed with his ability to exist normally in a space where he was being fawned and followed. How he took time for this Real pregnant women he didn’t know to have a real convo with a line of people waiting for a moment just to reassure her. I’m glad to have had that brief time with him. I’m so sorry that 4th girl won’t know her dad.

A post shared by elleduncan (@elleduncan) on

Following the love for her video, Duncan took to Twitter to encourage other girl dads to share photos with their daughters.

"I’m so moved by the outpouring of support behind my story about Kobe. And I love that #girldad is trending.. so for all those proud fathers who still have their girls to love on can you flood my timeline with pics of you and your flock," she wrote. "Honestly I need it as much as anyone rt now"

Watch the video below for another tribute to Bryant. 

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