The date has been set for a public memorial for Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven other victims killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26. According to the Los Angeles Times, the memorial will be held on Feb. 24 at the Staples Center. The event “will cap weeks of tributes across the city.”
Last week, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced plans to honor Bryant, but they did not set a date.
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“There will absolutely be a memorial to mark the contributions of this incredible man and not only him, but to commemorate the loss of his daughter and all the other families that were there,” Garcetti, 48, said. “We don’t have that date finalized but we’ve been talking every day to the Lakers, and most importantly, to [Bryant’s widow, Vanessa] as well.”
“I think one message that I would say is this is not just about a man who was a basketball player, this is about a father, this is about a leader, this is about a filmmaker, this is about an artist, this is about somebody who was so much more than just how he was on the court,” he added.
When the news of the crash broke, thousands of fans gathered at the Staples Center to pay tribute to the Los Angeles Lakers Legend. Last week, the Lakers had their first game since the crash and they had a special ceremony for all the victims
“I look at this as a celebration tonight,” LeBron James said in his speech to the crowd during the ceremony. “This is a celebration of the 20 years of the blood, the sweat, the tears, the broken down body…the determination to be as great as he could be. Tonight we celebrate the kid that came here at 18 years of age, retired at 38 and became probably the best dad that we’ve seen over the last three years. Tonight is a celebration.
“Kobe is a brother to me,” James continued. “From the time I was in high school watching him from afar, to getting in this league at 18 and watching him up close, all the battles that we had throughout my career, the one thing that we always shared was that determination to just want to win, to just want to be great. The fact that I’m here now means so much to me. I want to continue, along with my teammates, his legacy. Not only for this year, but for as long as we can play this game of basketball that we love, because that’s what Kobe Bryant would want. So in the words of Kobe Bryant, ‘Mamba out.’ But in the words of us, not forgotten. Live on, brother.”
