John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelliwere honored in apublic memorialMonday evening at Angel Stadium, a fitting venue for the “first family” of Orange Coast College baseball, where John coached for almost 30 years.
The three family members perished alongsideKobeand Gianna Bryant,Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayantwo weeks ago in a helicopter crash as they were all on their way to a basketball tournament at Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, California.
The sun shone on the attendees at the stadium on Monday, where a video montage honoring the Altobellis was played at the beginning of the service. Over theentrance to the home plate gateread a banner that said, “In loving memory of Alto, K, and Alyssa.”
After the montage ended, Lexi, JJ and his fiancé Carly Konigsfeldapproached the microphoneon a stage covered in flowers, baseball jerseys with John’s No. 14, photos of the family, and more tributes. Next to the podium was a plate from a baseball diamond, a basketball and a trophy.
Altobelli memorial at Angel Stadium.Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
“This is pretty cool,” JJ, 29, told the crowd. “Thank you guys so much for coming, it really means a lot to all of us.”
“On behalf of me, Lexi and Carly, we can’t thank everyone here enough. The amount of love and support we have received these last few weeks has been truly amazing. Each text, call, donation or act of kindness has not gone unnoticed. It really goes to show the impact that my dad, K, and Alyssa had on everyone here. I was going to get up here and talk about my dad, K, and Alyssa, but there’s no way for me to put what they meant to me into words,” the Boston Red Sox Scout said.
Altobelli family memorial.Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
Several people then followed, including Keri’s brother and best friend, and John’s best friend, to talk about the impact of all three on their lives and their community.
Keri’s best friend said that she “left the world better than she found it,” and spent her last day on Earth doing “exactly what she loved: going to a basketball game with her bright light of a daughter Alyssa, alongside her warm and funny husband Alto.”
Alyssa’s best friend Sammy Forbath remembered her as “the funniest, most caring girl I have ever met.”
“She always had my back and supported me no matter what. She always put others’ needs before hers,” Forbath continued, remembering her as a “devoted” basketball player. “Alyssa had the hardest work ethic of anyone I’ve ever known.”
Forbath also remembered many afternoons spent after school at the Altobelli’s house, where she said there was “never a dull moment.”
GoFundMe
In addition to her love of basketball, Forbath remembered Alyssa’s love for animals and other people. “I already miss her so much,” she said. “Her smile, her sarcastic personality, and pretty much just everything about her. Alyssa, thank you for eight years of friendship, eight years of laughter and eight years of smiles. I will always do my best to make you proud. I know you will always be cheering me on.”
Derek Sanders, Keri’s brother, took the podium next, recalling how his nieces Alyssa and Lexi changed his life.
John’s friend Buck Taylor took the stage saying John “would have really loved this — if we were at Wrigley Field,” bringing some laughs from the crowd.
The memorial on Monday was just one example of the outpouring of support for the Altobelli family since the fatal helicopter crash.
AGoFundMe campaignset up for JJ and Lexi has raised more $353,000.
If you would like to help the families of the victims of the crash, consider donating to theMambaonThree Fund. Contributions to theMamba Sports Foundationwill help support youth sports.
source: people.com
