A private funeral was held on Tuesday to lay Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna to rest. Per E! News, the private ceremony took place in Los Angeles, just over two weeks after the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of nine. There will be a public ceremony held on Feb. 24 at Staples Center.
The other victims of the crash included Gianna’s basketball teammates Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester, Altobelli’s parents John and Keri Altobelli, Chester’s mom Sarah Chester, girls’ basketball coach Christina Mauser, and pilot Ara Zobayan. The helicopter was on its way to a basketball game at Mamba Sports Academy.
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Following the news of the funeral, fans on social media were left to deal with their emotions. They are still reeling from the untimely deaths and seeing a notification about the private ceremony just made the pain greater.
Fans and supporters of the Bryant family reacted to the funeral in a variety of ways. Some were heartbroken by the realization that the victims were truly gone while others were just supportive of the private ceremony.
S/O to everybody in Kobe and Vanessa’s circle that kept that funeral a secret so it wouldn’t be a media circus
— mo (@labubbakeith) February 11, 2020
With a high-profile figure such as Bryant dying, there was an expectation that there would be many sites trying to figure out when and where the ceremony would take place. This information was kept secret, which made many fans very happy. They didn’t want to see photographers camped outside waiting for candid pictures.
“God bless both of them,” a fan wrote on Tuesday. “May they rest in peace along with all the others that passed in the helicopter crash.”
Read about my coworker dying, and Kobe and Gianna’s funeral less than five minutes of each other. I hate crying in public, and it’s the only thing holding me together at work.
— 👸🏾L E A👸🏾 (@_MissLeandra) February 11, 2020
The majority of fans on social media did not have a personal relationship with Bryant, Gianna, or any of the victims, but that did not lessen the impact of their deaths. This helicopter crash was tragic and it led to many individuals crying in public or in the privacy of their own homes.
When the funeral came to light, there was a second wave of emotion that caught many by surprise. They responded by holding back tears at their place of business.
I’m very happy Kobe & Gianna had a private funeral, we did not deserve that moment
— posh. (@hailpeezy) February 11, 2020
“Aww. Still so heartbroken for all the families. I’m glad Vanessa and Family had a quiet private service,” a Facebook user wrote on Tuesday. There were several that responded by expressing relief about the private ceremony.
Bryant lived a very public life due to his career choice and his other pursuits. However, the fans on social media felt that this did not mean that they should have been allowed at the funeral. They recognized that this is a private matter, and they wanted to show respect.
Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant have been laid to rest in a private funeral.
— Hashim (@RandomLakersFan) February 11, 2020
May their souls Rest in peace.
The fans of Bryant were heartbroken on Tuesday after thinking about the helicopter crash and the two weeks of pain that Vanessa and her family felt. However, they were relieved to see that the ceremony was private and that it provided an opportunity for peace.
“My deepest condolences to you and your beautiful girls,” one fan wrote on Facebook. “May they be at peace wrapped up in the lords arms forever and ever.”
I’m so glad the Bryant’s had a private funeral for Kobe and Gianna. The one thing that was needed
— Prince 🇯🇲 (@Hvnlysuperb) February 11, 2020
The news of the private ceremony was met with a variety of responses, but the majority were supportive. The fans wanted Vanessa and her family to grieve without being disturbed.
“This is so heartbreaking, they were both so young with so much life ahead of them. Thoughts and prayers are with you all. May they both rest peacefully in the arms of our Lord,” another individual commented on Facebook. “Please give Vanessa and her children the privacy that they need to carry on! Amen.”
Word is Vanessa had a private funeral for Kobe and Gianna. I’m happy it went this way. She deserves to grieve in peace 💜💛
— Everything is Funny (@KissMyDimple) February 11, 2020
When a celebrity dies, there are many fans that want to attend the funeral and show their support for the family. They may not have known the individual personally, but they still feel a connection.
Bryant is someone that connected with millions, so it’s understandable that there will be a public memorial held at Staples Center. However, Vanessa Bryant and the family members first had to hold their own private ceremony in order to grieve in peace.
Damn their done had Kobe funeral … it’s real y’all 😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔
— Christina Yang (@BellaBOMB_) February 11, 2020
Despite knowing that the helicopter crash had occurred and that both Bryant and Gianna had died, there were still some fans struggling to accept the tragic incident. Everything just seemed too surreal.
However, the situation changed on Tuesday when the funeral took place. Seeing that a funeral truly took place just confirmed that the victims were gone and elicited even more tears.
(Photo Credit: Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
