Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli also died in the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant.
Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli was among the victims of the helicopter crash that also
killed Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, Altobelli's brother Tony Altobelli told CNN.Altobelli's daughter Alyssa and wife Keri were also aboard the helicopter.
LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters that nine people were on board the aircraft—the pilot plus eight people. All nine have died.
The helicopter went down in the hills of Calabasas and a fire broke out. The crash occurred before 10 a.m. local time, and the fire made it difficult for firefighters and emergency personnel to get to the aircraft, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Gianna and Alyssa were teammates at the Mamba Academy and were flying from Orange County to Thousand Oaks to attend a game, OCC assistant coach Ron La Ruffa told CNN.
“It was something John routinely did, flying up with Kobe to attend games with his daughter,” La Ruffa told CNN.
Reaction to the crash poured in from all across the sports world. NBA teams paid their respects prior to their games on Sunday. Fans flocked to the Staples Center to show their support.
Orange Coast College officials and supporters gathered at the school as news of Altobelli's death surfaced.
The 56-year-old Altobelli was entering his 24th season as the school's coach.
He had won more than 700 career games and most recently helped guide the Pirates to a 39-9-1 record and a third consecutive Orange Empire Conference title.
Mets all-star Jeff McNeil, who played for Altobelli in the Cape Cod League in 2012, told ESPN that his former coach is "one of the main reasons I’m still playing professional baseball.
"He took a chance on me, kept me the whole summer," McNeil said. "Him taking that chance on me, having me on his team, got me drafted."
Orange Coast College was set to open its 2020 season Tuesday against Southwestern. According to the Orange County Register's Steve Fryer, players are deciding if they will in fact play that game or reschedule it.
More Coverage of Kobe Bryant's Death:
- Sports World Reacts to Kobe Bryant's Sudden Death
- Remembering Kobe Bryant: Sports Illustrated Covers Through the Years
- Breanna Steward Mourns One of Her Greatest Supporters: Kobe Bryant
- Spurs-Raptors Open Game With Shot Clock Violations to Honor Kobe
- Shaq Reflects on Kobe's Passing: "There’s No Words to Express the Pain"
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