The Orange County baseball community mourns the loss of coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and daughter Alyssa, who were among the victims in the tragic helicopter crash that also claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.
John Altobelli, who was the esteemed head coach of the Orange Coast College baseball program, was heading into his 24th season in this role when the unfortunate incident occurred.
Confirming John’s passing in the Calabasas helicopter crash, Orange Coast College Athletic Director Jason Kehler said:
“John meant so much to not only Orange Coast College, but to baseball. He truly personified what it means to be a baseball coach. The passion that he put into the game, but more importantly his athletes, was second to none – he treated them like family. Our deepest condolences go out to the Altobelli family during this time of tragedy.”
Alyssa and Gianna, as teammates at the Mamba Academy, were en route from Orange County to Thousand Oaks for a game when the fatal accident claimed 9 lives, according to OCC assistant coach Ron La Ruffa.
“It was something John routinely did, flying up with Kobe to attend games with his daughter.”
Altobelli had a remarkable career, boasting over 700 wins, including four state championships. Additionally, he was honored as Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
The helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76B built in 1991, took off from John Wayne Airport at 9:06 a.m on Sunday, January 26, according to publicly available flight records. The chopper flew over Boyle Heights, near Dodger Stadium, and circled over Glendale during the journey.
The crash occurred shortly before 10 a.m. near Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street in Calabasas. Authorities received a 911 call at 9:47 a.m, and firefighters arrived to find that the crash had ignited a quarter-acre brush fire in steep terrain, said L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl Osby. Responders included 56 firefighters, a helicopter with paramedics, hand crews, and sheriff’s deputies.