The Fence at Carnegie Mellon University was painted yellow and purple in memory of former NBA star Kobe Bryant and eight other people who were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday in California.
Bryant played basketball at Lower Merion High School in suburban Philadelphia. He came to play in Pittsburgh in the 1996 McDonald’s All-American game at the Civic Arena.
Described by CMU as the school’s “unofficial billboard,” The Fence is a low concrete structure in the middle of the campus. A student group may paint it between midnight and sunrise, using brushes only, and two members then stay to guard it. The tradition allows for students to send a social message or promote campus events.
