Jan
Kobe Bryant remembered 4 years after deadly helicopter crash
Friday marks four years since a helicopter crash in the Calabasas area resulted in the tragic deaths of nine people, including Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
The group was on their way to a basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy in nearby Thousand Oaks when the pilot crashed into a hillside shortly before 10 a.m.
Also on the flight were Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa; Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton; assistant coach Christina Mauser and the pilot Ara Zobayan.
As news of the crash spread, thousands of people began to gather at the L.A. Live complex adjacent to Staples Center, where Kobe played for the Lakers.
By nightfall, fans were still arriving with flowers, cards, letters and basketballs that grew into a massive memorial for the legendary player.
The crowd would often break into chants of “Kobe, Kobe.”
Numerous murals of Kobe now exist from downtown Los Angeles to Orange County, where he lived.
A full list of locations can be found at kobemural.com for fans who would like to pay their respects.
The Hall of Famer played 20 seasons with the Lakers, helping to guide the team to 5 NBA titles (2000, ’01, ’02, ’09, ’10).
A bronze statue in honor of Bryant will be unveiled by the Lakers outside Crypto.com Arena before their game against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 8.
