Jimmy Kimmel had said that Vanessa invited people to The Staples Center because she knew that the people needed it, and that was obvious as the crowd shouted their support to her, saying things like, “We love you Vanessa.” Her voice was shaking with emotion as she said she loved that person back, without having to know who they even were. The stadium then broke into an uproar as wife of Kobe and mother of Gianna, Vanessa Bryant, took the stage to speak. As the stadium embraced they chanted Kobe’s name over and over again, supporting each other as they grieved.
REMEMBERING KOBE BRYANT AND GIGI CRACKED
His voice cracked as he held back tears, attempting to break the ice with humor, but the pain he felt was obvious as he said, “Kobe’s face and Kobe’s number, Gigi’s face and Gigi’s number will always be remembered.” He then asked the crowed to turn to each other and embrace, the way people only do in church and at sporting events. Jimmy Kimmel then walked onto the red rose covered stage and took a moment to acknowledge the seven other lives lost. As the montage came to an end, and the screen faded to black with Kobe’s voice being the only sound in the building as he said,”Mamba Out” The camera cut to Vanessa Bryant, crying but with a smile on her face as she watched the moments that made Kobe, the Black Mamba. They then cut into a montage of all of Kobe’s career defining highlights - from his draft at 18 to his infamous retirement speech, to him holding his daughters. As she closed out the song, she added a line for Kobe and Gigi, “Halo don’t fade away.” She than performed an emotional “Halo” that jerked tears in every viewer, whether they were fortunate enough to be in the audience or if they were viewing from home.
Her smile was wide as she sang “XO” Kobe’s favorite song, with a chorus dressed in white behind her. The jumbotron illuminated with the names of all nine people lost on January 29, and the side of The Staples Center was covered in Kobe’s image with #ThankYouKobe underneath it.īeyonce opened the celebration of life with a heart-touching performance. Before beginning, she encouraged the crowd to sing so loud that Kobe could hear it from heaven. The cameras faded into the ‘house that Kobe built’ at the start of The Celebration of Life, and immediately panned to the purple spotlight on both of Kobe’s retired numbers 24 and 8. Monday February 24, Kobe fans lined up outside The Staples Center in a sea of purple and gold to celebrate the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
Cade Silvas among so many other Don Lugo students was heavily impacted by Kobe’s passing, stating, “He’s the reason I play basketball.”
0 kommentar(er)
