Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna were among the 9 people killed in helicopter crash -
- Feb 26, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 5, 2020
By: Cameron Fulcher '22
Basketball legend Kobe Bryant and one of his daughters, Gianna were among nine of the people who were killed on Sunday morning when a helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California. The 41 year old Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria Onore Bryant were expected at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks for a basketball game. Both Kobe and his daughter Gianna were both supposed to be apart of this game where Kobe was expected to coach and Gianna was supposed to play. The sheriff's department had then reported that there were five people aboard who were killed in this crash. But then the Los Angeles County Police department had then found out that there were actually nine victims killed on the helicopter. Tony Altobelli had told CNN that his 56 year-old brother and Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, John's daughter Alyssa Altobelli and John's wife Keri Altobelli were aboard the helicopter that crashed and killed them. The four other people who were killed were Christina Mauser, an assistant basketball coach at Harbor Day School in Corona del Mar, California, Payton Chester, one of Gianna and Alyssa's teammates, Payton Chester's mom, Sarah Chester, and Ara Zobayan, the pilot of the helicopter. The pilot Ara Zobayan called in to Island Express to tell them about the helicopter that was not working properly but no one could get into the air to save them because of the low visibility of fog and being very cloudy said meteorologist Michael Guy from CNN. On that Sunday Morning, the Los Angeles police department had grounded all its helicopters that morning due to the feeling that the weather was not safe for flying helicopters in the air. The FAA and National Transportation Safety board are still investigating the crash to see what could have caused it. Also the FBI are assisting the NTSB with this investigation.
Kobe Bryant leaves behind the love of his life, wife, Vanessa and his three daughters. Kobe and Vanessa were high school sweethearts. Their love was inseparable. His oldest daughter Natalia Diamante Bryant had just turned 17 years-old a week ago and his youngest is now 7 months old. Gianna Bryant started playing basketball at a very young age. She loved the game of basketball so much that she hoped in the future she would play for UCONN (the University of Connecticut) and would make to the WNBA where she would be starting basketball career just like her dad. Kobe's 20 years playing in the NBA, had touched the hearts of many people around the world. Kobe is also leaving behind his teammates who knew him as as a brother. Especially his best friends Shaq and Lebron James who wrote respectful words on instagram about his determination for the basketball and his determination for women's basketball and the community that he dearly respected. Kobe Bryant's support towards women's basketball had became global when him and his daughter came to college basketball games to support the women who play on the court. He drew more attention to the star players that deserved the attention. The game of basketball will never be the same without our legendary basketball hero, Kobe Bryant. Around the world people are honoring Kobe and Gianna at their own basketball games and even painting pictures of them together on the walls for everyone to see. Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant's legacies will keep going no matter what and will never be forgotten. "Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling" - Kobe Bryant.
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