Kobe Bryant’s eldest daughter Natalia pays tribute to coach John Altobelli on his birthday after helicopter crash

KOBE Bryant’s eldest daughter has paid tribute to basketball coach John Altobelli on what would have been his 57th birthday.

The 17-year-old regrammed a picture shared by Orange Coast College Baseball’s Instagram page, and added: “Happy Birthday Mr. Alto.”

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She included a heart emoji in the message.

College baseball coach John was with his youngest daughter Alyssa, 13, and wife Keri, 46, when their helicopter crashed in Calabsasas on Sunday January 26, killing all nine people on board, including basketball legend Kobe, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.

Alyssa and her parents were traveling with Kobe, Gianna and four others to play basketball at the Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, California when their helicopter crashed as it encountered foggy conditions.

John had become friends with Kobe in recent years because their daughters Alyssa and Gianna went to school and played basketball together.

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John and Keri Altobelli were also killed in the crash[/caption]

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John was a college baseball coach[/caption]

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Pilot Ara Zobayan, 50, basketball coach Christine Mauser, 38, Gianna’s teammate Payton Chester, 13, and Payton’s mom Sarah Chester, 45, were also killed in the crash.

Audio between the pilot and air traffic control obtained by The Sun reveal that air traffic controllers were attempting to guide the helicopter, but lost contact moments before its fatal fall.

Questions remain about wThe lawsuit – filed on Friday in LA County Superior Court and obtained by PEOPLE – seeks damages for emotional distress and mental anguish.

Kobe’s wife Vanessa is now suing Los Angeles cops after officers allegedly leaked pictures the helicopter crash – including one deputy who showed them off at a bar.

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Kobe’s widow Vanessa, 37, has alleged that members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department shared unauthorized photographs of the crash.

The lawsuit – filed in LA County Superior Court and obtained by PEOPLE – seeks damages for emotional distress and mental anguish.

According to PEOPLE, the lawsuit claims: “In reality, however, no fewer than eight sheriff’s deputies were at the scene snapping cell-phone photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches.

“As the Department would later admit, there was no investigative purpose for deputies to take pictures at the crash site.

“Rather, the deputies took photos for their own personal purposes.”