Kobe Bryant Memorial: Vanessa Bryant delivers tearful eulogy; Says she and Kobe had hoped to grow old together

Vanessa Bryant mourned the death of her late husband Kobe Bryant during her first official public appearance after the NBA star’s lost his life alongside their 13-year-old daughter Gianna in a tragic helicopter crash that took place on January 26, 2020. On February 24, fans, friends and family members gathered inside the Staples Center to pay tribute to Kobe and Gianna. Vanessa’s heartbreaking speech about her late husband left everyone in tears. In her speech, she said the two had hoped to grow old together.

Talking about her relationship with Kobe, she said, "he was truly the romantic one”. “He gave to me the actual notebook and the blue dress Rachel McAdams wore in The Notebook movie. When I asked him why he chose the blue dress, he said it was because it’s the scene when Allie comes back to Noah. We had hoped to grow old together like the movie,” she added. She further mentioned that they were “perfectly imperfect” who loved their family, Parade reported. “I couldn’t see him as a celebrity, not just an incredible basketball player. He was my sweet husband and the beautiful father of our children. He was mine. He was my everything,” she said.

Check out the video of Kobe Bryant's memorial here: 

Vanessa also praised Kobe’s qualities as a father of 4 daughters. “Kobe was the MVP of Girl Dads, or the MVD. He never left the toilet seat up. He always told the girls how beautiful and smart they are. He taught them how to be brave and how to keep pushing forward when things get tough. And when Kobe retired from the NBA, he took over picking up and dropping off the girls from school since I was at home pregnant with Bianka and just recently home nursing Capri,” she said.

“He helped me bathe Bianka and Capri almost every night. He would sing them silly songs in the shower and continue making them laugh and smile as he lathered them in lotion and got them ready for bed. He enjoyed renting out theaters and taking Natalia to watch the most recent Star Wars movie or Harry Potter films. He loved being Gianna’s basketball coach,” she added. The memorial was kicked off by Beyoncé, who performed a moving rendition of her songs XO and Halo.

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