Romiere Brown grew up in Lansdowne, but he passes by Kobe Bryant’s alma mater all the time, writes Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Soon after he heard the news of Kobe Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash Sunday, he made a beeline for Lower Merion High School.

Brown, 29, laid a bouquet of daisies in Lakers purple and gold in honor of the 41-year-old basketball superstar, a native son and 1996 Lower Merion High grad.

“I pass here all the time. I always think to myself, ‘Wow, Kobe went here. One of the greats of all time came here,’” said Brown. “When I heard the news, I was just in a state of shock.”

Brown added his flowers to a growing memorial outside the Lower Merion High gym. Others placed basketballs, and some lit candles.

Like many, Brown felt proud of Bryant, proud of his ties to the region.

Bryant and eight others, including his daughter, Gianna, died Sunday when his private helicopter crashed in Calabasas, Calif.

Bryant was a prodigy at Lower Merion High and leaped into the NBA at age 17 , becoming a basketball legend in LA.

Read more about Kobe Bryant’s life and reaction to his death here.

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