Matt Mauser's wife, Christina Mauser, was one of the nine people killed in the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, in January 2020.
Matt Mauser was a recent contestant on ABC's competition show, “America's Got Talent.” Before crushing his audition, he spoke on the tragic passing of his wife and fellow schoolteacher — who coached Gigi.
“I’m a singer, and I’m here because my wife,” Mauser said after coming out on stage. “And we’re both schoolteachers and we retired from teaching so that I could do the music full-time, and she got the opportunity to coach girls basketball with Kobe Bryant. But on Jan. 26, 2020, I lost my wife in the same helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant.”
Matt and Christina were married for 15 years and have three children, who were there to support their dad on AGT.
“Before Jan. 26, me and Christina lived this dreamy kind of life,” Mauser said in the pre-taped segment before his performance. “We met in 2004, she saw me playing at this dive bar and I asked her out and we sat in my car and we talked about music…She was just this very humble, powerful, beautiful human being. My mom said if you don't marry that girl, you're stupid.”
“We were so in love…When she left that day she kissed me and she said ‘I love you.’ That was the last thing my wife ever said to me. Your whole life changes in a second.”
The 51-year old broke into a rousing rendition of “Against All Odds (Take a Look at me Now)” by Phil Collins, and the audience erupted into a frenzied standing ovation after his final note. The judging panel of Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofía Vergara and Simon Cowell moved Mauser into the next round of the competition.
You can watch the poignant and impressive performance below. Respect to Matt Mauser and his family.
Wow… A heartbreaking performance that reminds you we lost more than Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020 💔
(via @AGT)pic.twitter.com/L7V4MkwJuP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) July 8, 2021
Follow Us
Subscribe