KobeandGianna Bryanthave been laid to rest, PEOPLE can confirm.
News of the father, 41, and daughter’s final resting placecomes ahead of a scheduled public memorial servicefor all victims of the crash on Monday, Feb. 24 at Staples Center.
The event will also honor victimsJohn Altobelli,Keri Altobelli,Alyssa Altobelli,Sarah Chester, Payton Chester,Christina Mauser,and pilotAra Zobayan. No other details surrounding the event have been announced.
The date holds special significance for the Bryant family: Gianna wore jersey No. 2 at the Mamba Sports Academy, and Kobe, 41, wore No. 24 in the latter half of his career.
Asnews spread of the Jan. 26 helicopter crashthat killed Kobe, Gianna, and the seven others, fans around the world have paid tribute to the legendary Lakers player.
Fellow athletes found their own ways to honor the former NBA MVP, as NBA teams allowedthe 24-second shot clock to run down to zero at the start of games, and players temporarilywore one of Kobe’s numbers while on the court.
Gianna and Kobe Bryant in 2019.Ethan Miller/Getty
The news comes just one day after Vanessa shared an emotional Instagram post about her grief.
She said that she has been “reluctant” to write about her feelings, but wanted to do so to help others who are going through the loss of a loved one.
“My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone,” the mother of four wrote. “I can’t process both at the same time. It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. It feels wrong.”
Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna.Paul Bereswill/Getty
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.John McCoy/Getty Images
Vanessa previously released her firstpublic statement following the crashon Jan. 29.
Speaking to fans and followers about the loss of her “adoring” husband and their “beautiful, sweet” daughter Gianna, she wrote, “We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately. There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now,” adding, “I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.”
If you would like to help families of the other victims of the crash, consider donating to theMamba on Three Fund. Contributions to theMamba Sports Foundationwill help support youth sports.
source: people.com
