The crash devastated his family, which includes J.J., a former college baseball player who is now a scout for the Boston Red Sox, and a daughter, Lexi, who is in high school.

Their deaths also shook Mr. Altobellis larger baseball family, including players who gathered on the field at Orange Coast College upon hearing the news and decided to play the season opener, as scheduled, on Tuesday.

Mr. Altobelli had lived his life on the baseball diamond, and they would, too.

Sarah and Payton Chester

Sarah and Payton Chester, a mother and daughter who lived in Orange County, also died in the crash, family and friends said.

Payton, 13, had played for Mr. Bryants team for several years and had planned to develop her game in high school and college, her uncle Andy George told The San Gabriel Valley Tribune. She had this sweetest soul, the kindest, most gentlest person you would ever meet, he said.

Her mother, Sarah Chester, 45, also had two 16-year-old boys, Mr. George told the newspaper. She was everything to her family, to our family, he said. Anytime I needed anything, she was the person I went to.

One of her sons wrote on Instagram that he had lost the most amazing Mother and sister. He posted a series of photographs, including one that showed his sister at a basketball gym, smiling and laughing with Mr. Bryant.

Todd Schmidt, a former principal of the elementary school that Payton had attended in Newport Beach, Calif., said the Chesters were among the amazing families at the school: engaged, supportive, encouraging, and full of mischief and laughter.

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The 9 Victims of the Helicopter Crash That Killed Kobe Bryant - The New York Times