Growing Memorial Outside Bryant Gym At Lower Merion High School Reflects Impact Kobe Bryant's Death Has On Community
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A memorial has been growing outside of Lower Merion High School since the tragic news of basketball legend Kobe Bryant's death broke on Sunday. The memorial outside Bryant Gym reflects the toll of this loss -- a community that gave basketball a superstar.
Under her breath but picked up by microphones, a high school student's words captured the emotions of a grey Monday.
"This is too much," a student said.
Students and alumni of Lower Merion High School talked with reporters about Bryant, the man who was their preeminent role model.
"He instilled in all of us a sense of hard work, pride in who you are, where you're from and that you can dream big," alumni Darry Reynolds said. "All of those things I've used outside basketball and in my own life."
Bryant's lasting mark at Lower Merion is immediately identifiable, as the grades and classes of today try to make sense of the enormity of this loss within the community.
A memorial sitting outside the gym's entrance has increased in size, with flower bouquets and basketballs left in memoriam. People stood quietly, solemnly calling to mind a native son they say had immeasurable talent and character.
"It's like shocking because it just happened, so no one knows what to think or say," senior James Simples said. "People don't really know how to react right now."
"I think it is just a reminder to be grateful for every minute we have playing the sport we love and every minute we have on the court competing and cherish it. You never know how long it will last," junior Bridget McCann said.
Guy Stewart was a year ahead of Bryant and was a fellow teammate.
"It was bigger than basketball, really. Deeper," Stewart said. "Just he was always kidding and joking in hallways, good convo, funny and down to earth. That's what I say to anyone who asks me, just a down to earth guy.
People like Leroi Leviston, a coach at Malvern Prep, looked up to and admired Bryant.
Leviston remembers asking his older brother who played for Conestoga High School to take him back to the locker room to get a glimpse of Lower Merion's ace.
"I just remember on my eighth birthday, begging him to go to the lockers at Conestoga to get an autograph, I just thought he was an amazing basketball player at that time," Leviston said.
Bryant blazed a trail, heading into the NBA in 1996 right out of high school. News of his death, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others, has rocked the globe.
People now are left to wrap their heads around the loss of nine lives.
"Yesterday and today have been reminders of how fragile life is," Kathi Bozcar said.
Lower Merion High School held a 33-second moment of silence Monday, in honor of Bryant's No. 33 that he wore in high school.
CBS3's Joe Holden contributed to this report.