A public memorial service to honor Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other people killed in a Calabasas helicopter crash will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 24 at Staples Center.
The public memorial has been set for that date—2/24, combining Bryant’s jersey number 24 and Gianna’s number 2.
A public ceremony for Bryant and his daughter was held Feb. 7 at Pacific View memorial Park in Corona Del Mar.
The Staples Center memorial will be broadcast on TV. Family, friends, NBA players, NBA officials, season ticket holders and local politicians are expected to be in attendance. The remaining tickets will be offered to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
Well-wishers who do not have tickets won’t be allowed to come near the Staples Center on that day. Police plan to block the streets to enhance security and control traffic. Those without tickets are encouraged to watch the TV broadcast.
In addition to Bryant, 41, and his daughter, those killed in the Jan. 26 crash were:
—John Altobelli, 56, longtime coach of the Orange Coast College baseball team, along with his wife, Keri, 46, and their 13-year-old daughter Alyssa, who was a teammate of Gianna on Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy basketball team;
—Sarah Chester, 45, and her 13-year-old daughter Payton, also played with Gianna and Alyssa;
—Christina Mauser, 38, one of Bryant’s assistant coaches on the Mamba Academy team; and
—Ara Zobayan, 50, the helicopter pilot.
The Los Angeles Clippers are scheduled to play the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center the night of Feb. 24.
