Natalia Bryant is paying special tribute to her father Kobe Bryant just over three years after his tragic passing…
On Wednesday, his 20-year-old daughter went to an event honoring the late basketball star at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. A concrete slab with Kobe’s hand and footprints was permanently displayed outside of the theatre — previously being only viewable by fans attending a show — and Natalia delivered a speech to attendees of the ceremony. While referring to her dad, she said:
“I’m honored to be here today to recognize the man we all knew and love, my dad, Kobe Bryant.”
The volleyball player continued on to call Kobe the “MVP of girl dads”:
“When most people knew him as a basketball player or storyteller, I got to know him and love him as my dad and let me tell you, he’s the MVP of girl dads, to say the least.”
So sweet…
The daughter of the former Los Angeles Lakers player encouraged fans and people who looked up to her dad to take a moment and connect with him through the one-of-a-kind memorial:
“As you visit here for years to come, I encourage you to place your hands in his and take a moment to stand in his shoes.”
As you know, the NBA star and his other daughter, Gigi Bryant, were killed alongside seven others in January 2020 right outside of Calabasas when the helicopter they were taking to a basketball game crashed. Just last month, his wife and the mother of their children Vanessa Bryant, took to Instagram to pay tribute to his memory on Valentine’s Day. In the caption of the video she said “forever & always,” while the reel featured a clip of the late patriarch talking about love:
“I think I would describe love as happiness. I think I’d describe it as a beautiful journey. It has its ups and downs, whether it’s in a marriage, whether it’s in a career. Things are never perfect, but through love, you continue to persevere. You move through them. And through that storm, a beautiful sun emerges, right? And then inevitably, another storm comes, and guess what? You ride that one out too. So I think love is a certain determination. A persistence to go through the good times and the bad times with someone or something that you truly love.”
Kobe may not be here with us physically anymore, but the undying love his family and his devoted fans have for him will undoubtedly keep his memory alive…
Reactions, Perezcious readers?
[Image via MEGA/WENN/Avalon]
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