Everything You Wanted To Know About Alyssa Altobelli Who Was Confirmed Dead In Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash Alongside Her Mom And Dad
Rest in peace, Alyssa Altobelli.
Facebook All nine of the victims of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash have been identified, and each name opens up a new vein of heartbreak and agony for the survivors.
The Altobelli family, in particular, lost three family members in the crash, including patriarch John Altobelli. But who is Alyssa Altobelli, one of the youngest victims lost in the helicopter crash who died alongside her parents?
The younger Altobelli was on her way to play at the Mamba Sports Academy, co-founded by Kobe Bryant, where she played with Bryant's daughter, Gianna, who was a rising star in basketball just like her father. And thanks to their daughters playing on the same basketball team together, the Altobellis and the Bryants had grown extremely close, with the elder Altobellis making sure to cheer on their daughter every chance they could.
And that's why Alyssa Altobelli, her father John, and her mother Keri were on their way to do when they perished in the fatal crash on January 26, 2020. Let's look at what we know about this talented teen, who was taken far too soon.
1. Who was Alyssa Altobelli? She was a rising basketball star like Gianna Bryant.
Altobelli, like Gianna Bryant, was an aspiring basketball star in her own right, who often played alongside the "Mambacita," and even had her parents cheering on her career aspirations.
"[John Altobelli] loved going to every single practice, because it’s Kobe Bryant. So you’re seeing that guy coach. And he’s seeing him coach his daughter in a sport that she loved to play. He didn't miss many practices and he loved going out and Kobe would talk to him,” said Nate Johnson, the assistant coach at Orange Coast College, about John Altobelli's pride in his daughter's burgeoning career.
2. An official statement by the city of Newport Beach confirmed her death.
"As information was released throughout Sunday on additional victims of the Calabasas helicopter accident, tragedy was compounded upon tragedy as it became clear that other beloved and respected members of the Newport Beach and Orange County communities were traveling with Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
We wish to extend our deepest, deepest condolences to the families, friends, and neighbors of John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant, Christina Mauser, as well as Sarah Chester, Peyton Chester and pilot Ara Zobayan during this devastating time," the city of Newport Beach, CA, said in a statement.
3. #RIPAltobelliFamily was a trending topic on Twitter.
Shortly after news of her death, alongside her family's death, was announced, #RIPAltobelliFamily became a trending topic on Twitter. As of this writing, more than 25,000 tweets were sent out in support of Altobelli and her family, and all shared thoughts and prayers.
Basketball fans were universally devastated at the thought of such a young life taken so soon.
4. The investigation into the crash is still ongoing.
While more than 20 NTSB investigators are currently on the ground investigating the cause of the helicopter crash that claimed Altobelli and eight others, including Kobe Bryant, what is known thanks to the recently released flight patterns is that the helicopter circled the greater Glendale area for about 15 minutes, hoping the dense fog would clear, before proceeding on to its fate in a heavily wooded area just outside of Calabasas, CA.
5. She is survived by her brother and sister.
Though her mother and her father perished in the crash along with her, Altobelli is survived by her brother, JJ, and her sister, Lexi. She, along with Gianna Bryant, were on their way to play in a tournament when their helicopter fell from the sky.
6. Kobe Bryant loved posting about Altobelli and his daughter's other teammates.
"I hate seeing my #teammamba girls play against each other," he wrote in a post on Instagram back in November 2019. "This is GREAT defense by our mamba pg Alyssa Altobelli and a familiar-looking fade by our 2gd the #Mambacita."
You can check out the post below.
Our thoughts are with Alyssa Altobelli, and her family, during this 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.