ST. LOUIS — Jan. 26 marks a somber remembrance for sports fans.
One year ago, NBA legend Kobe Bryant died along with eight others, including his daughter Gia, in a helicopter crash.
St. Louis artist Lindsay Wanner is a big fan of Bryant. She uses pieces of vinyl to create her works and put together a tribute to him. It's more than 8 feet tall, the biggest piece she has ever made.
“It goes perfectly with Kobe’s, you know, story; he’s such a larger than life story,” Wanner said.
She used at least 150 vinyl records in making the life-sized art.
“It’s layered and stacked upon each other to create the 3D effects," she told 5 On Your Side. "It’s almost like you’re looking at him and that he’s playing right in front of you."
She added wings on the figure made out of snakeskin to symbolize Bryant's nickname, the Black Mamba.
“I wanted it to be something that was kind of like heavenly,” she said.
The piece was sold, but the buyer asked her to resell the work to benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation. Knowing that the Make-A-Wish foundation was one of Bryant's favorite charities, Wanner is touched that her art can help.
“If I can create a piece of art that can raise thousands of dollars to help other children, then I think I’m pretty happy in life,” she said.
They are hoping to sell the piece for $33,000. They chose 33 because that was Bryant's high school basketball number.
If you are interested in buying the piece, you can learn more about it on her website.
