Christina Mauser, Assistant Girl's Basketball Coach, Confirmed To Have Perished In The Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash
Rest in peace, Christina Mauser.
Getty Images More information has been released on the victims of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash, and now, just as we've confirmed that John Altobelli and his family were among those to have perished, news has just been released about yet another victim. Who is Christina Mauser?
Bryant and his daughter were on their way to Kobe Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy with a few of his daughter's friends and teammates, and their families. However, shortly after the helicopter took off, it crashed just outside of Calabasas, CA, and left a devastating fire in its wake.
Because of the fire, first responders couldn't get to the crash for a good eight minutes after the helicopter fell. However, the investigation into the crash, as of this writing, is still ongoing and we'll continue to update as new information comes in.
So let's look at what we know about Christina Mauser, the latest victim to be announced in the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others.
1. Who is Christina Mauser? She was the assistant coach of Kobe Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy girls basketball team.
Very few details have been released about Christina Mauser to the press but what's known is that she was a girls' basketball coach at Harbor Day School in Corona del Mar, CA, located in Orange County. The school, itself, hasn't released an official statement about Mauser's passing, as of this writing.
She was also assistant coach of the girl's basketball team at Mamba Sports Academy, started by Kobe Bryant, which aims to "update the way men, women and youth approach human performance, by creating a multi-platform environment that activates, educates and provides an opportunity for humans to unlock their full potential."
2. Mauser's husband, Matt, confirmed his wife's passing on Facebook.
Mauser's husband, Matt, who is an indie musician with the Tijuana Dogs as well as a Frank Sinatra impersonator, confirmed his wife's passing on his Facebook page.
"My kids and I are devastated. We lost our beautiful wife and mom today in a helicopter crash. Please respect our privacy. Thank you for all the well wishes they mean so much," he said on his page, which was flooded with comments from well-wishers.
3. Her life was also mourned by the mayor of Costa Mesa, CA.
4. Her connection to Bryant is unclear.
While as of this writing, it's been confirmed that the people on board the helicopter — including Altobelli — were, somehow, connected to Bryant and/or his daughter, Gianna, Mauser's connection to Bryant, the Mamba Academy, and/or the other victims of this tragedy remains unclear.
UPDATE 1/27: Mauser has been confirmed to be the assistant coach of the girl's basketball team — of which Gianna was a player — at Mamba Sports Academy.
5. Los Angeles County mayor Alex Villanueva didn't initially name Mauser, or any of the other victims.
While Bryant's name was the first name released to the press, Villanueva initially declined to name Mauser, or any of the other victims, until their next of kin were notified of their passing.
"It would be extremely disrespectful to understand your loved one has perished and you learn about it from TMZ. That is just wholly inappropriate so we are not going to be going there. We are going to wait until the coroner does their job," he said in a press conference held on Sunday, January 26.
6. Vanessa Bryant and Rick Fox were both initially thought to be in the helicopter crash.
When reports about Kobe Bryant dying in a helicopter crash were first revealed, fans initially thought that both Vanessa Bryant — his wife — and fellow Los Angeles Laker Rick Fox were both on the helicopter. However, those initial reports have been now confirmed to be false.
The cause of the crash, however, is still under investigation, though crash theories have already sprouted on the Internet.
Our thoughts are with Christina Mauser, her family, and all of the families who perished in the helicopter crash during what is undoubtedly a difficult time.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.