Last Updated on January 28, 2020 by CCAR Staff
Orange County is mourning the loss of nine residents who died when the helicopter crash Sunday morning. Click on the links to learn a little bit more about each person.
Kobe Bryant
The 41-year-old Los Angeles Lakers legend who lived in Newport Beach was flying with his daughter to a basketball tournament.
Gianna Bryant
The 13-year-old from Newport Beach, who was nicknamed Gigi, was flying with her father, Kobe, to a basketball tournament. She was point guard for the Orange County-based Mambas, an elite travel basketball team. Gianna was in the eighth grade.
Sarah Chester
The 45-year-old Newport Beach mother of three was flying in the helicopter with her daughter, Payton. She was an alum of La Serna High School.
Payton Chester
The 13-year-old from Newport Beach had been a member of the Mambas for some time. She was in eighth grade at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School.
John Altobelli
Residence: Newport Beach
The 56-year-old was traveling with his wife, Keri, and daughter, Alyssa. Better known as “Coach Alto,” he was in his 28th season coaching baseball at Orange Coast College.
Keri Altobelli
The Newport Beach mother of two and step-mother of one, was traveling with her husband, John, and daughter Alyssa.
Alyssa Altobelli
The Newport Beach 13-year-old was a member of the Mambas. She was an eighth grader at Ensign Intermediate.
Ara Zobayan
The Huntington Beach 50-year-old was piloting the helicopter. He often flew Bryant as a private pilot and was also an instructor.
Christina Mauser
The 38-year-old from Huntington Beach was a coach at Harbor Day School in Corona del Mar and Bryant’s top assistant coach on the Mambas. She leaves behind husband, Matt, and their children.
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