Statue of Kobe and Gianna Bryant erected at crash site

A statue of NBA great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna has been erected in Calabasas, California, at the site of the helicopter crash that killed them and seven others.

Los Angeles-based sculptor Dan Medina created the 160-pound bronze statue which depicts the former Laker in his uniform with his arm around his daughter, who is holding a basketball as she looks up at her father.

Honoring the legend

Medina placed the names of the two and those of the other seven people who died in the crash on the base of the statue- John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and their daughter Alyssa; Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton; Christina Mauser, and pilot Ara Zobayan. The inscription “Heroes come and go, but legends are forever” can also be read on the base.

The statue was seen by fans and others who climbed up to the site to remember those who passed away two years ago. Some lay flowers at its feet.

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Temporary tribute

The sculptor pulled his creation up a steep hill using a wagon, but said it will only be there temporarily. Medina wants to create a bigger, life-size version of the statue, and hopes the city will allow him to give it a permanent home in downtown Los Angeles.

The helicopter was on its way to a basketball tournament which Gianna was supposed to participate in, when it crashed after flying into low clouds. The National Transportation Safety Board has since ruled that the cause of the crash was pilot error. It is believed that he became disoriented after encountering poor visibility.