Kobe Bryant Dies in Helicopter Crash

[HiCat]

Who were the other victims in the helicopter?

From CNN's Christina Maxouris and Artemis Moshtaghian

Nine people died in the helicopter crash that killed basketball legend Kobe Bryant -- including his daughter, Gianna, and her basketball teammate.

While police have not released the names of the people on board, family members of some victims have confirmed their loved ones' deaths. Here are the emerging names and faces:
John Altobelli speaking to players.


Altobelli family:

Orange Coast College (OCC) baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri and daughter, Alyssa were aboard the helicopter, said Altobelli's brother Tony.

Gianna and Alyssa were teammates at the Mamba Academy, and Altobelli would "routinely" fly with his daughter to attend the games, said OCC assistant coach Ron La Ruffa.

Altobelli, 56, leaves behind a son and daughter, according to an OCC Pirate Athletics news release.

"There were two sides to John," Tony Altobelli said. "People saw him on the baseball field, he's gritty and tough as nails kind of guy but the other side of him, he was one of the biggest-hearted people you'll meet in your life. He cared about his players, cared about his school."

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/kobe-b ... index.html" target="_blank

[CatsbyAZ]

Lot's of "post-worlds" I never wanted to live in. Post-Mom, post reason, post malone post whatever. Post Kobe is defintey one of the worlds I never wanted to end up in.

[MrBug708]

Sounds like the other victims were a mom and daughter, and another woman who was a coach on the team as well as the pilot. Very sad

[Chicat]

When I think of the fact that Vanessa was with Kobe since she was 17 and now has to go on without him and GiGi, my heart just fucking breaks. It’s not fair.

[97cats]

When I think of the fact that Vanessa was with Kobe since she was 17 and now has to go on without him and GiGi, my heart just fucking breaks. It’s not fair.

so this hits close to home

Alyssa Altobeli attended Ensign Middle School with my daughter, her father John was the baseball coach at OCC for 24 years, him passing alone would be a tragedy. as you know our family is a baseball family thru and thru, John was a man you wanted your son to know, and hoped one day he would know your son ....Alyssa was on the helicopter with her mom and dad and are survived by two siblings.

Sarah Chester and Peyton Chester were on the helicopter, they attend Harbor View in Corona Del Mar in Newport Beach - mom and daughter have two siblings/children who survive them.

Christina Mauser was a teacher and Assistant Basketball coach at Harbor Day School where Gigi attended.

five Newport Beach families and four schools suffered a loss of some kind - this has been one of the most somber days ive had in 10 years.

everyone is touched by this, Newport Beach is not big, if you have kids who attend Middle School in Newport you are touched in some way - further if you play sports or are an involved volunteer or participate in community activities, you have exposure.

Bryant made Newport Beach his home, he was loved by the people here. he didnt do it with fanfare, he did it with normalcy, and thats why he loved it here and thats why he was loved. he acted and showed up just like any other generous, kind and thoughtful man.

people here in Newport loved Kobe after basketball for the father, husband, community leader, and involved citizen he was. he gave back and donated, built and funded charities, sponsored projects and supported new vision, was present and active in youth sports, and encouraged young girls everywhere to seek new heights.

he was a black man doing amazing things in this community, and he set up the second half of his life to be more impactful and meaningful than the first half, and he was doing it here, in Newport Beach.

its now gone, taken, just like the lives of the other local residents who gave so much back to our community including John Altobeli who will never be forgotten.

8 people taken....3 young people.

a sad, sad day indeed.

[UofAlum05]

The entire world is in mourning but the collective mood in LA is like nothing I've ever experienced. Every place I go, drive to, stop into, etc. has the feel of sadness and mourning. Every person walking by our house yesterday had tears in their eyes. My wife works in the court system for LA County and she said every judge, lawyer, employee, etc. has an air of sadness to them. This town didn't need this right now. We've got so many issues and so many problems. Yesterday I watched an entire city's heart collectively break. Its like nothing I've ever experienced before.

[Beachcat97]

The entire world is in mourning but the collective mood in LA is like nothing I've ever experienced. Every place I go, drive to, stop into, etc. has the feel of sadness and mourning. Every person walking by our house yesterday had tears in their eyes. My wife works in the court system for LA County and she said every judge, lawyer, employee, etc. has an air of sadness to them. This town didn't need this right now. We've got so many issues and so many problems. Yesterday I watched an entire city's heart collectively break. Its like nothing I've ever experienced before.

I see it too, 05. It's indeed a national (global?) tragedy, but the epicenter is Los Angeles. Very few public events in my lifetime have had this kind of impact. I've been seeing purple and gold everywhere in and around Long Beach today. Lots of tears and despondent faces. An entire city just devastated.

This wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to see this guy age gracefully deeper into fatherhood. We were supposed to see Gigi grow up and follow her hoops dreams. Feels like the city's lost its king and princess.

[Longhorned]

When I think of the fact that Vanessa was with Kobe since she was 17 and now has to go on without him and GiGi, my heart just fucking breaks. It’s not fair.

so this hits close to home

Alyssa Altobeli attended Ensign Middle School with my daughter, her father John was the baseball coach at OCC for 24 years, him passing alone would be a tragedy. as you know our family is a baseball family thru and thru, John was a man you wanted your son to know, and hoped one day he would know your son ....Alyssa was on the helicopter with her mom and dad and are survived by two siblings.

Sarah Chester and Peyton Chester were on the helicopter, they attend Harbor View in Corona Del Mar in Newport Beach - mom and daughter have two siblings/children who survive them.

Christina Mauser was a teacher and Assistant Basketball coach at Harbor Day School where Gigi attended.

five Newport Beach families and four schools suffered a loss of some kind - this has been one of the most somber days ive had in 10 years.

everyone is touched by this, Newport Beach is not big, if you have kids who attend Middle School in Newport you are touched in some way - further if you play sports or are an involved volunteer or participate in community activities, you have exposure.

Bryant made Newport Beach his home, he was loved by the people here. he didnt do it with fanfare, he did it with normalcy, and thats why he loved it here and thats why he was loved. he acted and showed up just like any other generous, kind and thoughtful man.

people here in Newport loved Kobe after basketball for the father, husband, community leader, and involved citizen he was. he gave back and donated, built and funded charities, sponsored projects and supported new vision, was present and active in youth sports, and encouraged young girls everywhere to seek new heights.

he was a black man doing amazing things in this community, and he set up the second half of his life to be more impactful and meaningful than the first half, and he was doing it here, in Newport Beach.

its now gone, taken, just like the lives of the other local residents who gave so much back to our community including John Altobeli who will never be forgotten.

8 people taken....3 young people.

a sad, sad day indeed.

Holy shit, thank you for this post.

I'm so sorry.

The U of A campus today is filled with gold jerseys with a number 8 or 24.

[Alieberman]

So sorry 97... been thinking of the Bryant family constantly but now I can’t help but think of the girls you spoke of who lost their sister and both their parents. I can’t imagine what they are going through

[Merkin]

[TucsonClip]

Fuck this... Heartbreaking

[Jefe]

[HiCat]

Pretty detailed statement. Sad nevertheless.

[Merkin]

[btfd16]

So the last few days have been really weird. To the point I didn't even remember the ASU loss until now. I don't understand the feeling. Just numb and emotionless. I didn't even know Kobe. But growing up in Orange County and coming back in 2017 as a Newport Beach guy now I felt like I knew Kobe. I'm 26, I don't remember a life without Bean. That was my childhood hero. My first sports love. I just want to give Vanessa a hug. Gigi had so much life. 2 days later and I still don't know what to do.

[HiCat]

Kobe Bryant wanted ‘to die young,’ friend Tracy McGrady says

NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady opened up about the death of Kobe Bryant, recounting how in the past his friend told him he wanted “to die young.”

McGrady, who retired from the league in 2013, made the stunning revelation Monday on ESPN’s “The Jump.”

“This sounds crazy, but Kobe spoke this, he spoke this,” the 40-year-old shooting guard told host Rachel Nichols, who seemed taken aback.

“He used to say all the time, ‘I want to die young,’ ” he added, while wiping a tear from his face.

Bryant, according to McGrady, would also say, ” ‘I want to be immortalized and, you know, have my career be better than Michael Jordan and I want to die young.’ ”

McGrady said he learned of Bryant’s death Sunday while dancing with his daughter at an event for his wife.

“They came and told me the news and I just couldn’t believe it,” McGrady said. “Just like everybody else, but … I’m devastated.”

Bryant, 41, died Sunday morning, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, when his chopper crashed in Calabasas on their way to a youth basketball tournament.

https://nypost.com/2020/01/27/kobe-brya ... rady-says/" target="_blank

[TucsonClip]

Kobe Bryant wanted ‘to die young,’ friend Tracy McGrady says

NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady opened up about the death of Kobe Bryant, recounting how in the past his friend told him he wanted “to die young.”

McGrady, who retired from the league in 2013, made the stunning revelation Monday on ESPN’s “The Jump.”

“This sounds crazy, but Kobe spoke this, he spoke this,” the 40-year-old shooting guard told host Rachel Nichols, who seemed taken aback.

“He used to say all the time, ‘I want to die young,’ ” he added, while wiping a tear from his face.

Bryant, according to McGrady, would also say, ” ‘I want to be immortalized and, you know, have my career be better than Michael Jordan and I want to die young.’ ”

McGrady said he learned of Bryant’s death Sunday while dancing with his daughter at an event for his wife.

“They came and told me the news and I just couldn’t believe it,” McGrady said. “Just like everybody else, but … I’m devastated.”

Bryant, 41, died Sunday morning, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, when his chopper crashed in Calabasas on their way to a youth basketball tournament.

https://nypost.com/2020/01/27/kobe-brya ... rady-says/" target="_blank

Im having a difficult time with all these aggregations of TMac's comments, for a few reasons. If you actually watched the interview, he was clearly distraught and therefore he wanst able to initially get his point across. Nichols helped him along, and he got to the point that this was said years, and years ago, clearly before he had children and became the version of the father he is today.

It was a shocking comment, but it really needs more context.

[Merkin]

Thanks Clip, I didn't watch the interview but thought the same thing, no way Kobe would say that post children.

[UofAlum05]

I stopped by Staples and LA Live. Very moving.

[UAEebs86]

Hoping those kids were not on the flight but a local LA news channel is saying Kobe and his 4 daughters were on board. That is just devastating

[Merkin]

And the douchebag of the day award goes to

[Chicat]

Julie DiCaro who is on 670 TheScore here in Chicago has been a one woman crusader on a mission to make sure everyone knows that the rape allegations against Kobe made his death very difficult for her personally. Then when everyone chimes in to let her know this wasn’t about her, she got to really play the victim. It’s been a spiral downward ever since.

Some people should just wait a second. Seriously, take a week, gather your thoughts, then if you want to have a conversation in a more general sense, that might be the time. But Kobe wasn’t Aaron Hernandez or Darren Sharper and pretending that he was a serial predator whose death makes it harder for victims of sexual violence to cope actually does victims a grave disservice.

[pc in NM]

Julie DiCaro who is on 670 TheScore here in Chicago has been a one woman crusader on a mission to make sure everyone knows that the rape allegations against Kobe made his death very difficult for her personally. Then when everyone chimes in to let her know this wasn’t about her, she got to really play the victim. It’s been a spiral downward ever since.

Some people should just wait a second. Seriously, take a week, gather your thoughts, then if you want to have a conversation in a more general sense, that might be the time. But Kobe wasn’t Aaron Hernandez or Darren Sharper and pretending that he was a serial predator whose death makes it harder for victims of sexual violence to cope actually does victims a grave disservice.

Kobe raped a 19 YO woman

Kobe’s laywers engaged in victim-shaming tactics that would be totally unacceptable today

Kobe negotiated a “settlement” that included total non-disclosure by the victim

Kobe seldom discussed this after-the-fact, but whenever he did, he never expressed any contrition - I don’t think he ever expressed empathy for her either, but I may have missed something there.

When he commented, the victim was forbidden from any commentary by rigid enforcement of the NDA

These are facts. There is no reason to “wait”; nor any reason to focus only on thosefacts, either, but nothing whatsoever wrong with acknowledgement, or impact on other victims or women....

[HiCat]

Reasonable minds can differ.

[PHXCATS]

Snoop Dogg was completely out of line

[Chicat]

Julie DiCaro who is on 670 TheScore here in Chicago has been a one woman crusader on a mission to make sure everyone knows that the rape allegations against Kobe made his death very difficult for her personally. Then when everyone chimes in to let her know this wasn’t about her, she got to really play the victim. It’s been a spiral downward ever since.

Some people should just wait a second. Seriously, take a week, gather your thoughts, then if you want to have a conversation in a more general sense, that might be the time. But Kobe wasn’t Aaron Hernandez or Darren Sharper and pretending that he was a serial predator whose death makes it harder for victims of sexual violence to cope actually does victims a grave disservice.

Kobe raped a 19 YO woman

Kobe’s laywers engaged in victim-shaming tactics that would be totally unacceptable today

Kobe negotiated a “settlement” that included total non-disclosure by the victim

Kobe seldom discussed this after-the-fact, but whenever he did, he never expressed any contrition - I don’t think he ever expressed empathy for her either, but I may have missed something there.

When he commented, the victim was forbidden from any commentary by rigid enforcement of the NDA

These are facts. There is no reason to “wait”; nor any reason to focus only on thosefacts, either, but nothing whatsoever wrong with acknowledgement, or impact on other victims or women....

These aren’t facts.

[Merkin]