Kobe Bryant's Former High School Coach Remembers The NBA Legend

CALIFORNIA, I'M DON BELL, BACKTO YOU GUYS IN THE STUDIO.SO DIFFICULT DON, THANKSVERY MUCH.BACK IN OUR AREA KOBEBRYANT'S FORMER HIGH SCHOOLCOACH IS REMEMBERING KOBE ANDTALKING ABOUT THE MOMENT THATHE LEARNED HIS FRIEND HADDIED."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTER JOEHOLDEN IS LIVE AT LOWER MERIONHIGH SCHOOL IN ARDMORE, JOE.REPORTER: JESSICA LISTTONING DON BELL TALK ABOUT THEPOWER OF THE HUMAN SPIRITTHERE IN CALIFORNIA, IT ISVERY MUCH ALIVE HERE IN KOBEBRYANT'S HOMETOWN OF LOWERMERION TOWNSHIP.HIS COACH, EARLIER THISAFTERNOON THROUGH TEARSEXPRESSING HIS SORROW AND,WELL, JUST TELLING US ABOUTTHE LEGACY THAT HE WATCH GROWIN KOBE BRYANT.I TRULY BELIEVE THAT A LOTOF LITTLE KIDS LOST THEIR HEROAND A GROWN MAN CALLED COACHDOWNER LOST HIS ALSO.REPORTER: LETTER MERIONHIGH SCHOOL COACH GREG DOWNERSAID A REPORTER FIRSTCONTACTED HIM ABOUT LEBRONJAMES SURPASSING KOBE BRYANTAS NBA'S THIRD HIGHEST SCORERIN A LAKERS/SIXERS MATCH UPSATURDAY NIGHT.DOWNER DECLINE THE CALL ANDTHEN REST OF THE TAKE WAS ABLUR, IN CAME SUDDEN TERRIBLENEWS.WE WERE HOPING, PRAYINGTHAT THIS WAS ALL A BAD JOKEOR THIS WAS A ALL A BAD DREAM.AS REALITY BEGAN TO SET IN, IBROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF MYKITCHEN.REPORTER: DOWN ARE SAYSSINCE SUNDAY AND LEARNINGABOUT KOBE BRYANT'S DEATH THEDAYS HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMEDWITH GRIEF.HIS OWN PERSONAL SUCCESS ARECLOSELY TIED WITH BRYANT WHOMHE COACHED AT THE HIGH SCHOOLBETWEEN 1992 AND 96.HE PUSH ME AS A COACH TO DOBETTER ANNIE PUSH HIM RIGHTBACK.IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WINNINGCOMBINATION FOR WHICH I WILLFOREVER BE GRATEFUL.REPORTER: DOUG YOUNG WAS AMEMBER OF THE TEAM RECALLINGAN INTERESTING DYNAMIC, ASUNDER CLASS MAN CAME ABOARD.SENIOR WHEN HE WAS ASOPHOMORE AND IT WAS HIS TEAMFROM THE TIME THAT HE AARRIVED.COACH GREG DOWNER JUST A FEWMOMENTS AGO TAKING A LOOK ATTHIS MEMORIAL, HE TELLS USEARLIER HE HAD NOT COME DOWNHERE.HE SAID HE TOOK 48 HOURS TOBEGIN WITH JUST TO TRY TOFIGURE OUT THE RIGHT WORDS TOCONVEY ABOUT KOBE BRYANT.WE SHOULD ADD THAT THE LOWERMERION BASKETBALL TEAMSTONIGHT FACING CHALLENGES FROMUPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP.I'M TOLD THAT THERE WILL BEDISPLAYS AND SHOWS OF SUPPORTON THE PROGRAM.BACK AT 6:00 WITH MORE.LIVE FROM LOWER MERION