page_title: 2020 Calabasas helicopter crash
section_title: Memorials
hierarchical_section_title: 2020 Calabasas helicopter crash / Memorials
caption_attribution_description: English: As Kobe Bryant passed away in a tragic helicopter crash, fans quickly gathered in front of the Staples Centre to show their grieving and appreciation.
context_page_description: On Sunday, January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California, around 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, while en route from John Wayne Airport to Camarillo Airport. Nine people were on board, including retired professional basketball player Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, baseball coach John Altobelli, five other passengers, and the pilot. Everyone on board was killed on impact.
  It is unclear what caused the crash, as the helicopter was not carrying a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder due to it not being mandatory for aircraft of this type in line with FAA regulations. A subsequent autopsy was unable to detect any traces of drugs or alcohol in the pilot's system, and preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board stated that there was no evidence of engine failure. However, an investigation has been launched into Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky S-76B.
  The death of Bryant sparked multiple remembrances and tributes, including U.S. president Donald Trump and those of former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
context_section_description: Around 200 people gathered at the foot of the hill close to the crash, with many wearing Bryant's jersey and holding basketballs. People also formed an impromptu memorial at the Staples Center, the home arena of the Los Angeles Lakers (the team that Bryant had played for during his entire 20 year NBA career, from 1996 to 2016) just hours before the arena was scheduled to host the Grammy Awards. During the ceremony, host Alicia Keys and Boyz II Men performed "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" in tribute to Bryant, and other performers, including Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Run-DMC, Aerosmith and DJ Khaled, incorporated tributes to Bryant in their performances. Bryant's two retired jerseys hanging in the rafters of the Staples Center were illuminated by spotlight.  A week after Bryant's death, Staples Center staff began to clean up the makeshift memorial outside the arena, but promised to catalog, pack, and ship all nonperishable items to his family.  Among the items thus recovered were 1,350 basketballs, as well as "25,000 candles, 5,000 signs or letters, 500 stuffed animals, 350 pairs of shoes and 14 banners."
  Fans created a memorial for Bryant outside of the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, which Bryant attended from 1992 to 1996. Jerseys, dedicated basketballs, teddy bears, flowers and candles were all laid down to memorialize Bryant.
  Landmarks around the world, including the Los Angeles International Airport, Madison Square Garden, the Empire State Building and the Santa Ana Water tower in Bryant's home of Orange County, CA were lit purple and gold in Bryant's memory.
  On February 2, the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, lit up with images in tribute to Bryant and his daughter. The display was arranged by the Executive Chairman of Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) Ahmed Sultan Bin Sulayem.
  On February 7, Kobe and his daughter were buried in a private funeral in Pacific View Memorial Park in the Corona del Mar neighborhood of Newport Beach. Two days later, Bryant was also featured, alongside other recently deceased figures from the film industry, in the In Memoriam montage at the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9. A celebration of life for Kobe and his daughter was held at Staples Center on February 24, 2020.
  On July 18, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences posthumously awarded Bryant a Governor's Award at the 72nd Los Angeles Emmy Awards in recognition of "his legacy of philanthropy, community building and inspiration that extended beyond the basketball court." Composer John Williams, whom Bryant worked with on his animated short film Dear Basketball, accepted the award on his behalf.
caption: A makeshift memorial was set up outside Staples Center shortly after Bryant's death
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