January 26th is a day that will always live in infamy in Los Angeles Lakers and basketball fans minds forever. Today marks the two-year anniversary of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others' death in an unfortunate helicopter crash.
A bronze statue of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi was placed at the site of the accident.
A bronze statue of Kobe and Gigi Bryant appears at site of chopper crash as fans mourn https://t.co/kDJoGlTi9D
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) January 27, 2022
Los Angeles Times reporter Richard Winton detailed how the statue came to be.
Dan Medina, a West Hills sculptor, dragged his 150 pound statue up the trail to its resting place. Now, Laker fans and fans of Kobe Bryant the husband, father and basketball player, can come and mourn. It almost did not make it up the treacherous mountainside to its resting place.
Medina however acknowledged that there are permits required in order for the statue to remain. Those are permits he does not have. He hopes that the statue will one day live in downtown Los Angeles.
The statue illustrated Bryant in his Lakers uniform with his arm around his daughter. She is also in her basketball uniform. At the base of the statue is inscribed the names of all nine individuals who lost their lives on that tragic day. There is an inscription that reads “Heroes come and go but legends are forever.”
Two years ago, the entire globe was shocked and saddened after the tragedy ensued. Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and members of her basketball team, parents and coached left John Wayne Airport headed for the “Mamba Academy” in nearby Thousand Oaks.
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