Kobe Bryant: Former high school friend remembers a "fun-loving guy" As the world mourns the passing of basketball superstar Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash northwest of Los Angeles, a former high school friend remembers a "down to earth" and "fun-loving guy". Alumni from Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where Bryant studied and played basketball, gather for a news conference to reflect on the legacy of the former Lakers’ champion. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES