Tuesday marks the one year anniversary of the death of basketball great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, along with seven others, in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles.
Tuesday marks the one year anniversary of the death of basketball great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles. It also marks the anniversary of the deaths of the other seven people on board the doomed flight.
"I miss my baby girl and Kob-Kob so much, too. I will never understand why/how this tragedy could’ve happened to such beautiful, kind and amazing human beings,” Kobe’s wife Vanessa wrote on Instagram, alongside a heartfelt letter sent to her by one of Gianna’s friends.
The families of the other victims are also grieving one year later.
John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their 13-year-old daughter, Alyssa all lost their lives that day. John’s brother, Tony, told Inside Edition about the moment he found out.
“I got a phone call from the assistant coach on the team, and he was already inconsolable at that point. And he said, ‘They're all gone.’ I’m like, what do you mean they're all gone? Who's all gone? And he said, ‘John, Keri and Alyssa. They were on the helicopter, and they're all gone,’” Tony said.
John was the beloved head baseball coach at Orange Coast College for nearly 30 years. His last game was the state championship.
Also on board the helicopter was 38-year-old Christina Mauser, who is survived by three young children and a loving husband.
"It’s been a really, really tough year. We miss our mom. I miss my wife,” Matt Mauser told Inside Edition.
Matt says he remembers the last thing Christina ever said to him as she left early that morning.
“She came and kissed me on the cheek, and I remember her saying ‘I love you,’ and I was still sleeping. I came to as she was walking out the door and she shut the door. And I went back to bed, and I wish I would've woken up."
Their 11-year-old daughter Penny was supposed to be on the helicopter too, but she stayed home, recovering from a cold to preserve energy for a performance that night. Matt is hosting a virtual musical benefit on Tuesday night to raise money for the Christina Mauser Foundation.
Fans of Kobe are marking the anniversary with hundreds of murals painted across Los Angeles. There's also a map showing where you can find all of them.
The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a virtual hearing next month to determine the probable cause of the crash. They have already ruled out engine and mechanical failure.
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