Statue of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna placed at crash site on 2nd anniversary

On the second anniversary of the tragic helicopter collision that killed Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others, a bronze statue of the LA Lakers legend and Gianna was placed at the crash site in their memory on Wednesday in Calabasas, Los Angeles.

California sculptor, Dan Medina, honoured the victims of the unfortunate incident on a plaque at the base of the statue and inscribed: Heroes come and go, but legends are forever'.

The statue depicts the NBA Hall of Famer looking adoringly down and his daughter, Gianna, with his left arm on her shoulder. She is depicted carrying a basketball while looking up to her father, Kobe Bryant. Both father and daughter are wearing their respective basketball jerseys. Kobe wore the No.24, his second team number, after wearing No.8 in the first part of his career at the LA Lakers.

Several fans paid their respects to the basketball legend and victims of the tragic incident by placing flowers and memorabilia in front of the bronze statue. 

Sculptor Medina is now working on a life-size version of the same statue, which is 90% complete and will stand at 6-foot and seven inches.

On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant, who was 41 at the time of his death, and Gianna were flying from Orange County to Ventura County when the chopper encountered thick fog and rammed into a hillside. 

The second anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death was marked across social media by his loved ones and fans. Daughter Vanessa Bryant was among those offering online tributes to the late NBA star in recent days leading up to the death anniversary.