During the GiGi and Kobe Bryant life celebration service, wife Vanessa Bryant speaks about the sudden loss of her husband and daughter. But hers isn't the only tear-jerking speech from the memorial tribute. Seeing Michael Jordan crying as he mourns the loss of his "little brother" hits just as hard!
For popular NBA star Kobe Bryant, life ended on January 26, 2020. The 41-year-old dad died abruptly in a tragic helicopter crash, alongside his 13-year-old daughter GiGi and 7 others.
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Soon after, on February 24, 2020, thousands gathered together at the Los Angeles’ Staples Center for a Kobe Bryant memorial tribute. And 2 of the speeches given that day wasted no time in bringing on the tears!
It probably comes as no surprise that one of the most emotional moments from came as Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, got up to speak about the pain of losing her husband and daughter.
First, Vanessa speaks about her "baby girl." She talks about GiGi's kind nature and the special bond she shared with her Dad.
"GiGi was very competitive like her Daddy, but Gianna had a sweet grace about her."
And then, Vanessa speaks about Kobe Bryant's family life.
So many remember Kobe for his contributions to basketball or for his personal struggles. But the speech given by his wife, Vanessa Bryant, gave the world a touching peek at Kobe Bryant as a father and husband.
Vanessa Bryant speaks about Kobe's loving nature. She shares anecdotes about some of his romantic gestures for her. She then went on, detailing the type of involved, loving father Kobe was with his 4 children: Natalia (17), Gianna (13), Bianka (3), and Capri (7 months).
For Kobe Bryant, life was all about his family. From manning the school carpool to helping with bath and bedtime -- coaching basketball and having movie marathons -- Vanessa describes late husband Kobe Bryant as the MVP of Girl Dads.
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Vanessa Bryant speaks of how Kobe and GiGi naturally gravitated toward each other. They shared a special bond in their love of basketball. And you can visibly see Vanessa's anguish throughout the speech as she talks about losing both her "baby girl" and her "everything."
"God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home to Heaven together," she said. "May you both rest in peace and have fun in Heaven until we meet again one day."
You can hear Vanessa Bryant's full speech below (please note, there are a few, brief instances of foul language).
Another powerful moment was when NBA-great Michael Jordan took the stage to remember the life of Kobe Bryant.
Michael talks about how he came to view Kobe Bryant as a little brother.
"I took great pride, as I got to know Kobe Bryant, that he was just trying to be a better person," Michael said. "We talked about business, we talked about family, we talked about everything. And he was just trying to be a better person."
In addition to the power of his heartfelt words, the heart-wrenching Michael Jordan crying face makes his deep love for Kobe apparent.
Memes of a Michael Jordan crying face became an Internet sensation in 2009 after his emotional reaction during his induction into the basketball hall of fame.
And Michael couldn't help but chuckle as he pointed out how Kobe Bryant's death was going to spawn a whole new generation of Michael Jordan crying face memes!
"Now he's got me. I'll have to look at another crying meme for the next... I told my wife I wasn't going to do this because I didn't want to see that for the next 3 or 4 years," he said, as the crowd broke into laughter.
After praising Kobe Bryant for the passion he showed in his life, Michael went on to offer his prayers and support to Kobe's family, along with all the other families impacted by the tragic helicopter crash.
You can hear Michael Jordan's full speech below (please note, there are a few, brief instances of foul language).
Other speakers and performers at the Kobe Bryant memorial tribute included his former teammate Shaquille O'Neal, Stephen Curry, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, and Jimmy Kimmel.
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As a celebrity, much of the national attention following the helicopter crash has been on Kobe Bryant and his daughter. But it's important to remember 7 other lives were lost that day.
God sees each of these people as his children. And our prayers go out to all of the families left mourning after this terrible tragedy.
h/t: Townhall
Featured Image: Youtube/Fox Sports/Instagram
Mel is the senior writer for GodUpdates, finding, writing and sharing Christian, uplifting, and health-related stories from around the world. Mel has a passion for writing and graduated with a degree in English from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. When she’s not researching and writing stories, Mel is very active in her church. You can usually find Mel playing board games with her husband and two young girls, giving someone a hug, or hunting down a good cup of coffee!