Private funeral held for Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna
NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant have been laid to rest.
The Los Angeles Lakers icon and his daughter were reportedly buried Friday in a private funeral in Los Angeles, according to Entertainment Tonight.
Kobe and Gianna died in a Jan. 26 helicopter crash in Calabasas with seven others: Christina Mauser, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester and pilot Ara Zobayan.
The 18-time All Star is survived by his wife, Vanessa Bryant, and the couple’s three other daughters, Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and 7-month-old Capri.
“Vanessa and the family wanted a private service to mourn their loss,” a source told ET. “The ceremony was extremely hard for everyone as it’s still hard for them to grasp they lost two beautiful souls.”
Vanessa Bryant has said a public memorial is slated for Feb. 24 at the Staples Center, where Kobe spent most of his 20-year NBA career.
She shared a heartfelt Instagram post Monday, detailing her difficulty with coming to grips with losing her husband and second daughter.
“My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone. 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. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity,” the message read in part.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Officials have said low visibility may have been a factor.
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