Memorial For Kobe Bryant Growing By Minute At Lower Merion High School

Joe Holden reports.

LIVE IN THE SAT CENTER, MATTPETRILLO, CBS3 "EYEWITNESSNEWS".THANK YOU SO MUCH IT'S AVERY, VERY, VERY SAD.AND LOSS IS FELT DEEPLYTONIGHT AT LOWER MERION HIGHSCHOOL.THAT'S WHERE "EYEWITNESSNEWS" REPORTER JOE HOLDEN ISLIVE.JOE THERE'S A GROWING MEMORIALFOR THE HOME UP TO HERO ANDMORE AND MORE PEOPLE KEEPSHOWING UP.YES, THEY DO.

GOODEVENING, KOBE BRYANT WUVSHTGREATEST HERE THIS IS HOME FORKOBE BRYANT AND TONIGHT PEOPLEARE LEAVING FLOWERS.CANDLES, NOTES AND BASKETBALLSLATE SURPRISED NIGHT AMEMORIAL IS IS EVER GROWINGFOR KOBE BRYANT OUTSIDE THELOWER HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIAL GYMTHAT BEARS HIS NAME.TEARS ARE SHED FOR A MAN THATREVEERED HIS LOVE OF SPORTSAND GENEROUS SPIRIT.I CAME SINCE I COULD JUSTTO GIVE MY FINAL RESPECTS TOKOBE BRYANT.I STEADY CROWD DROPPEDFLOWERS AND LEFT TOKENSSYMBOLIC OF ONE OF THEGREATEST IN THE GAME.HE STARTED AT LOWER MERION IN19 IS 9 IT AND BY '96 THESPOTLIGHT FOUND HIM AFTERLEADING COACH GREG DOWNERSTEAM TO CAPTURE THE STATECHAMPION SHXT OF THOSESTOPPING TO PAY RESPECTS ANDSHARE STORY THERE'S AREPERSONAL CONNECTIONS.ELLEN SCHWARTZ'S HUSBAND WASAT TIMES A CHEF FOR BRYANT INLOS ANGELES.KOBE WAS THE KINDESTPERSON YOU CAN MEET.DOESN'T MATTER IF HE WAS STARIN THE ROOM OR WAITRESS IN THEROOM HE TREATED EVERYONE WITHKINDNESS.NEWS OF BRYANT ANDDAUGHTER'S PASSING ALONG WITHSEVEN OTHERS SENT SHOCKWAVESALONG THE MAIN LINE.WE'RE ALL SHOCKED IT'SREALLY SAD.BEFORE LONG PEOPLE STARTEDSHOWING UP MID SUNDAYAFTERNOON.HE'S DONNA AMAZING THINGSFOR THE SCHOOL AND THEDISTRICT.IT'S REALLY SAD STUFF.A BASKETBALL GAME WRAPPEDUP WITH WORD HIT AND THE HIGHSCHOOL HELP WEARING SIXERS ANDLAKERS TEE SHIRTS RELISHING INSATURDAY NIGHT'S PRIMETIMEMATCH-UP.HE WAS A BIG MAN.EVERYONE LOOKED UP TO HIM.OFFICIALLY THE SCHOOLDISTRICT WILL PAY TRIBUTE ATSOME POINT RECOGNIZING THESTAGGERING LOSS.THE ENTIRE LOWER MERIONSCHOOL DISTRICT COMMUNITYSENDS DEEPEST CON DOLE EPSSTOTTEN TIRE BRYANT FAMILY.ALSO REMEMBERING TONIGHTTHOSE AT LARRY'S STEAKS INNEARBY WYNFIELD A MUST ONKOBE'S LIST OF STOPS WHEN BACKHOME.HE ALWAYS CALL US YOU KNOWAND SAY -- ASK SAY I'M COMINGTODAY AND NEED TO VISIT MYPLACE.I LOVE -- I MISS CHEESESTEAK.HAD HE LOVED OUR STEAK.MEANWHILE BACK AT THESCHOOL ALEX YONSO OF MULLICAHILL READING FROM HANDWRITTENTHANK YOU NOTE SAYS GREATESTLAKER OF ALL TIME WILL ALWAYSBE A PHILLY GUY AT HEART.DESPITE THE FACT YOU BEATBE LOVED SIXERS IN 2001 FINALTHE WAY YOU PLAYED, LIVED,WORKED, WAS AS SILLY AS ITGETS.100% TOUGH AND 100%AMAZING.AND AS YOU HEARD TONIGHTTHE STORYTHE STORIES ARE DEEPLYPERSONAL FOR A LOSS THAT ISIMMEASURABLE.LIVE IN LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP