Mourners pay tribute to Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles Lakers fans gather at the Staples Center to remember the life of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant who was killed in helicopter crash in Southern California; William La Jeunesse reports.
NBA great Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, attended Sunday church services and took communion prior to boarding the fatal helicopter flight, according to his priest.
Fr. Steve Sallot, a Eucharist priest at the Orange County church the Bryant family attends, said Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter stopped by Our Lady Queen of Angels in Newport Beach, Calif., for the 7 a.m. Mass and received Communion before the deadly crash, KGO-TV San Francisco reported.
"He was here before the 7 a.m. mass and that's our first mass of the day," he said.
"He was here before the 7 a.m. mass and that's our first mass of the day.
The helicopter crash was reported at 9:47 a.m. Sunday in Calabasas.
KOBE BRYANT LATEST IN LONG LIST OF AIR TRAGEDIES INVOLVING SPORTS FIGURES
Fans, family and the community are sharing memories of the nine people killed in the crash in foggy weather.
A memorial was also growing outside the Bryant family home in Orange County, the TV station reported.
FILE - In this July 26, 2018 file photo former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna watch during the U.S. national championships swimming meet in Irvine, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Among the mourners was Asu Gokdelen, who was visiting with her family from Istanbul. She remembered seeing Bryant during his first game in 1996 when she was a student at USC.
"When we heard the news we were very sad ... we wanted to visit this place and give our condolences," Gokdelen said.
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Bryant, his wife and daughters were recalled as generous neighbors by the Newport Coast community, the report said.
"He will be missed -- his spirit, his joy, his smile," said parishioner Rosemary Egkan told NBC Los Angeles.
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