One Kobe Bryant fan dribbled a basketball during a half marathon in California to honor the Lakers legend and the other eight victims of a helicopter crash last month.
Wearing a Bryant T-shirt, Michael Sweet handled the ball for 13.1 miles (2:07:37), only letting go of it to pass to other runners.
“I truly only did it because I appreciated Kobe and wanted to do it for him and his family,” the 30-year-old told Runner’s World after completing the race Sunday in Surf City. “I thought he might appreciate it, and I’d love for his family to see the impact he had on so many people.”
Bryant, 41, was killed when his private helicopter crashed into a hill in Calabasas, Calif. Other victims included Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, John Altobelli (56), Keri Altobelli, (46), Alyssa Altobelli (13), Christina Mauser (38); pilot Ara Zobayan (50), Sarah Chester (45) and Payton Chester (13).
The nine were traveling to Bryant’s basketball facility in Thousand Oaks, Calif. when the chopper crashed into a hill amid a dense fog.
One week later and about 70 miles south of the accident, the half marathon remembered the victims by holding a 24.2-second moment of silence (the sweet-shooting guard wore No. 24 during the second half of his career while Gianna, an up-and-coming hoopster, wore No. 2).
There also was an eight-second countdown to the race — Bryant also wore that number during his 20 year-career with the Lakers.
“I loved watching Kobe Bryant play, but he was also an amazing person,” Sweet said of Bryant, who had to rebuild his reputation after being accused of rape in 2003 (an undisclosed settlement was reached after the accuser refused to testify). “The world was really starting to watch him become a dad, and see what he was going to do for the world that was far beyond basketball.”
Bryant has three other daughters, Natalia (17), Bianka (3) and Capri Kobe (7 months). He also is survived by wife Vanessa.
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