Seven other lives erased
The remaining victims of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant have been identified — including the veteran chopper pilot who was remembered as being “especially attentive” to the star’s family.
Ara Zobayan was an experienced flyer who “taught aspiring heli pilots to fly and was very much loved in the aviation community,” KTLA’s Christina Pascucci, who is also a licensed pilot, wrote on Twitter.
“Working for the aviation business has allowed me to meet some pretty amazing people and pilots. Ara was definitely one of them,” another friend wrote on Twitter. “Always so nice, talkative and especially attentive when it came to Kobe and his family. I’m heart broken.”
A fellow pilot, Jared Joachim, mourned the 50-year-old Zobayan on Facebook.
“Ara was an incredible pilot, instructor pilot, charter pilot and truly a great man. He was not your typical egotistical helicopter pilot like most of us honestly are.”
“Ara was a man that always remained cool, calm and collected,” Joachim added of Zobayan, who was killed along with Bryant, the NBA legend’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and six others in a Sunday morning helicopter horror in the hills of Calabasas, Calif.
Mom Sarah Chester and her 13-year-old daughter, Payton, were also among the victims, relatives said. Payton’s brother wrote a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram alongside a photo of his lost loved ones.
“Rest In Peace to the most amazing Mother and sister. I love you Pay Pay and Mom RIP,” Riley Chester wrote.
All nine aboard the Sikorsky S-76 aircraft were killed in the crash.
The others were girls’ basketball coach Christina Mauser, college baseball coach John Altobelli, his daughter Alyssa Altobelli and wife, Keri Altobelli.
Mauser, who coached basketball with Bryant, was remembered Monday by her husband, Matt, who said was struggling with how to go on raising a family without her.
“I’ve got three small kids and I’m trying to figure out how to navigate life with three kids and no mom,” Matt told NBC’s “Today” show via phone.
“I’m scared more than anything — I’m a little scared for the future.”
He also said that Bryant handpicked Mauser to help mentor his protégés.
Their helicopter was headed to his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, Calif., at the time of the crash.
“He didn’t choose Christina for just any ordinary reason — she was extraordinary,” he noted, adding that his wife was “warm,” “incredibly bright” and “funny like nobody you’ve ever met.”
John Altobelli was entering his 24th season as baseball coach at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, about 70 miles southeast of Calabasas.