Vanessa Bryant Announces February 24 Celebration of Kobe, Gianna's Life
8th February 2020
"#2, #24 #20 years as a Laker," the bereaved wife and mother wrote in the post, confirming that a memorial service would be held at Staples Center arena that Monday morning at 10:00 (1800 GMT)
- Vanessa Bryant announced plans for a public celebration of life for her late husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna on February 24 in a touching Instagram post on Friday
- Gianna Bryant wore No. 2 for her school basketball team and Kobe Bryant wore No. 24 in the later stages of his iconic 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Kobe Bryant, 41, and 13-year-old Gianna were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in the rugged hills west of Los Angeles on January 26.
LOS ANGELES, United
States- Vanessa Bryant announced plans for a public celebration of life for
her late husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna on February 24 in a touching
Instagram post on Friday.
"#2, #24 #20 years as a Laker," the bereaved wife
and mother wrote in the post, confirming that a memorial service would be held
at Staples Center arena that Monday morning at 10:00 (1800 GMT).
She said more details were to come.
Gianna Bryant wore No. 2 for her school basketball team and
Kobe Bryant wore No. 24 in the later stages of his iconic 20-year career with
the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kobe Bryant, 41, and 13-year-old Gianna were among nine
people killed in a helicopter crash in the rugged hills west of Los Angeles on
January 26.
The event will fall on a day between two Lakers home games,
but the rival Los Angeles Clippers will host the Memphis Grizzlies in an NBA
game at the arena in downtown Los Angeles that night.
Lee Zeidman, president of Staples Center, told the Los
Angeles Times that getting the court ready for the game won't be a problem.
"Staples Center has hosted over 220 doubleheaders in
its 20-year history," Zeidman said. "While this is going to be a very
emotional day for the Bryant family, the Los Angeles Lakers, the city of Los
Angeles, as well as for the men and women who work at Staples Center, we are
very confident we will be ready for 6 pm doors opening for the Clippers-Memphis
game following the ceremony."
Staples Center, also the home of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings
and venue for concerts and events such as the recent Grammy Awards, has hosted
memorials for recording artists Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle.
Fans mourning Bryant had made the area outside Staples a
spontaneous shrine, leaving mountains of flowers along with basketballs,
jerseys, stuffed animals and other mementoes.
Those items have been cleared away, with thousands of them
being sent to Vanessa Bryant at her request.
The Lakers themselves paid emotional tribute to Bryant there
in their first game after the club legend's death, when they hosted the
Portland Trail Blazers five days after the accident.
Gianna's teammates Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester,
Alyssa's parents John and Keri Altobelli, Payton's mother Sarah Chester,
basketball coach Christina Mauser and pilot Ara Zobayan also died in the crash,
which remains under investigation.
A memorial service was scheduled for Monday at Angel Stadium
in Anaheim for the Altobelli family. John Altobelli, 56, was a longtime coach
of the Orange Coast College baseball team.