Kobe Bryant and daughter Gigi laid to rest in private ceremony
Though Vanessa Bryant helped the city to plan the public memorial, wanted something private to share with her family and friends
NBA legend, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, were laid to rest in a private ceremony last Friday.
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NBA legend, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, were laid to rest in a private ceremony last Friday.
Entertainment Tonight reports that the ceremony was held at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona Del Mar, California. Although Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, took part in planning a public memorial for the Lakers star and their daughter, she also wanted a private funeral to mourn his loss.
READ MORE: Vanessa Bryant says her ‘brain refuses to accept’ that Kobe and Gigi are gone
“Vanessa and the family wanted a private service to mourn their loss,” a source tells ET. “The ceremony was extremely hard for everyone as it’s still hard for them to grasp they lost two beautiful souls.”
Kobe and Gigi transitioned on January 26 after the helicopter they were riding in tragically crashed in Calabasas, California. Seven other people, including a few of Gianna’s teammates and their parents, lost their lives in the accident. The passengers were headed to a tournament at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks when their helicopter went down. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
In addition to Vanessa, Kobe and Gigi are survived by three other children, including Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months.
A public memorial service for Kobe and Gianna will be held at 10 a.m. on February 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where the athlete played with the Lakers for the entirety of his 20-year career. The 2-24 date was chosen because “24” is the jersey number Kobe wore and “2” was Gigi’s jersey number.
The memorial will be attended by family, friends, NBA players and officials, season ticket holders and local politicians, according to TMZ Sports. The remaining seats will be ticketed and offered up to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
READ MORE: Date set for Kobe Bryant and Gigi’s public memorial service at Staples Center
So far, there has been no word as to how the public can get tickets. However, police say if people don’t have tickets, they won’t be allowed to come near the Staples Center that day. Police plan to block the streets near the Staples Center to enhance security and control traffic.
The memorial will be broadcast on TV and police are encouraging people who don’t have tickets to stay home and watch it.
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