‘The Real’ co-host Tamera Mowry Housley cries while reflecting on Kobe Bryant
Article By Antoinette Parker // EEW Magazine // Death & Loss
“The Real” co-host Tamera Mowry Housley shed tears on air while discussing the first time she met NBA icon Kobe Bryant who died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, along with eight other victims, among them his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
The 41-year-old Christian co-host said she and the former athlete, who are the same age, met at 19 on the set of her 90s sitcom, “Sister, Sister.”
Tamera Mowry Housley’s heart breaks for the Bryant family and all the families who lost loved ones (Credit: The Real)
“I remember just looking at him. He was so tall, and he had just started playing for the Lakers, and I didn’t know what to expect,” Mowry Housley said.
The Emmy-winning media personality admitted to wondering if the then up-and-coming baller might be an arrogant, unapproachable “big shot.” But on the contrary, Mowry Housley told “The Real” audience, “I’ll never forget his humility. I’ll never forget his kindness, and even then, his work ethic. He was so nervous, and he had one or two lines, but I remember I was like, ‘Dang! He’s so focused.’”
Gianna Bryant and her father, former NBA player Kobe Bryant, attend the WNBA All-Star Game 2019 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas in July. Both were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas.
(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
“Sister, Sister,” which was a massive hit during its six-season run from 1994 through 1999, starred Mowry Housley and her identical twin sister Tia Mowry. It gave the young sibling stars the chance to see Bryant up close, and he apparently made a huge, positive impact on Mowry Housley all those years ago.
Beyond reflecting on Bryant, Mowry Housley said, “My heart just goes out to all the families who have lost their loved ones in this.” In particular, the mom of two sympathized with Vanessa Bryant, the now widow who is mourning the loss of both her husband and teen daughter.
Vanessa Bryant and Kobe Bryant (Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock)
“It just breaks my heart, and it shows me life is fragile,” Mowry Housley said. “Life is short, and I know we say that, but we have to really work hard to stay in the present moment. This is all we got— this moment right here and now—that is promised.
Mowry Housley, who is especially sensitive to grief, knows the pain of losing a loved one. Her niece Alaina Housley was a victim of a 2018 mass shooting at a country music bar in Thousand Oaks, California.
Some audience members were wiping tears during Mowry Housley’s commentary that ended with her telling everyone, “Tell your loved ones you love them.”