3 Most Emotional Moments of the Kobe Bryant 'Celebration of Life' Memorial
On Monday, the entire Los Angeles area came to a halt when the public memorialized Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna in a two-hour "Celebration of Life."
The public event was held at the Staples Center. The celebration was full of emotional moments, highlighted by the eulogy of his wife Vanessa Bryant who made her first public appearance since the tragic helicopter crash.
There were also poignant tributes from figures like Alicia Keys, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Christina Aguilera, who performed at the service.
Also present at the ceremony were sports figures and celebrities such as Adam Silver, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, and Michael Phelps among others.
Below are three of the most memorable moments that happened at Kobe and Gianna's "Celebration of Life."
Michael Jordan's Speech About His "Little Brother"
Former Chicago Bulls and NBA superstar Michael Jordan spoke about Kobe Bryant, and the fans who witnessed his speech reacted with so much emotion.
When Jordan took the stage, his eyes were already red after crying a lot. However, it did not stop him from telling stories about his deep love and admiration for the Lakers star.
He revealed that he loved Bryant like a little brother, adding: "As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be."
If there were any uncertainties about Bryant and Jordan's relationship, they were erased during the speech.
Part of his speech said, "When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died. Looking around the room, a piece of you died too, or else you wouldn't be here."
Jordan ended his eulogy in a joyful note saying, "I told my wife I wasn't going to do this, and now I'm going to see the crying meme for the next few years."
Kobe's Last Text to Rob Pelinka
Kobe's longtime agent and close friend recalled messaging the Lakers great hours before his fatal helicopter crash.
Bryant asked Pelinka for a baseball agent's contact as he sought to assist one of the daughters of John and Keri Altobelli -- two of the people who also perished in the crash -- to get an internship.
"Kobe's last human act was heroic. He wanted to use his platform to bless and shape a young girl's future," Pelinka shared.
The Lakers GM described that he had been struggling with grief since the helicopter crash, saying that he turned to a book that was gifted to him by Kobe with the inscription, "To R.P. My brother. May you always remember to enjoy the road, especially when it's a hard one. Love Kobe."
While the message was written a few months ago, Pelinka realized that "they were meant for all of us."
Vanessa Bryant's Powerful Speech
It can be noticed that Vanessa Bryant had difficulties speaking on the death of two of the most precious to her. However, to do it in front of 20,000 people is unimaginable.
Vanessa had two speeches, one for Gianna and the other for Kobe.
Kobe's widow recalled how the two gravitated toward each other and shared a secret talent of learning the lyrics after hearing them only a few times.
Vanessa, with tears in her eyes, reflected on the smaller and meaningful moments with her daughter like a simple hug.
"I loved the way she looked up to me while she was hugging me like she was soaking me all in."
With incredible strength, Vanessa went on to describe her soulmate, recognizing his love for her and their girls.
"He was thoughtful and wrote the best love letters and cards," Vanessa said, explaining that Kobe was always the romantic one in their relationship -- often making homemade gifts and giving touching stories to go with his gifts.
For Vanessa, Kobe wasn't just a basketball star. In their family, a team of six, he was the "MVP of girl dads or MVD."
