Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna quietly buried in a private family service
According to death certificates obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, were buried Feb. 7 at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar.
Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were buried in a private service a little less than two weeks after they and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif.
According to death certificates obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, were buried Friday at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar, Calif.
“Vanessa and the family wanted a private service to mourn their loss,” a source from the family told Entertainment Tonight, referring to wife and mother Vanessa Laine Bryant. “The ceremony was extremely hard for everyone, as it’s still hard for them to grasp they lost two beautiful souls.”
A public memorial for all nine victims of the Jan. 26 crash — which included two of Gianna’s Mamba Sports basketball teammates, their parents, a coach, and the pilot of the helicopter — will be held on Feb. 24 at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles at 1 p.m. Philadelphia time.
The other victims were: John Altobelli, 56; Keri Altobelli, 46; Alyssa Altobelli, 13; Christina Mauser, 38; Ara Zobayan, 50; Sarah Chester, 45; and Payton Chester, 13.
“It’s a reminder how much unity we have,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said last week. “We are one city that believes in each other, believes in something bigger than ourselves, and we will absolutely do everything to make sure that this is done so that everybody can come to it as well.”
Vanessa Bryant wrote in an emotional Instagram post on Monday that she was still struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband and daughter.
“My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone,” she 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.”
“Then I realize I need to be strong and be here for my 3 daughters. Mad I’m not with Kobe and Gigi but thankful I’m here with Natalia, Bianka and Capri," Bryant added. "I know what I’m feeling is normal. It’s part of the grieving process. I just wanted to share in case there’s anyone out there that’s experienced a loss like this.”