Kobe Bryant Celebration of Life: Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez Cry at Kobe and Gianna Public Memorial

Monday morning, Staples Center hosted the celebration of life memorial service for Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the seven victims of the helicopter crash on Jan. 26. Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez were on hand for the ceremony, sitting next to NBA commissioner Adam Silver. They were shown during the live broadcast and crying about the loss of life.

Lopez and Rodriguez were among many prominent celebrities on hand for the memorial service. They joined Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian West, and Kanye West, among many others on hand to honor the memories of those that died in the crash.

The ceremony started with a performance by Beyonce and then after a video montage showing clips of Kobe's career, continued with a speech by Vanessa Bryant. She took the stage to a standing ovation and thanked everyone for the outpouring of love and support. Vanessa discussed her late husband and daughter, as well as the impact that they had on others during their lives.

"Kobe was the MVP of girl dads, or mvd," Vanessa said during the ceremony. "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."

Vanessa also said that Gianna's goal was to play in the WNBA and that "she would have made a huge difference for women's basketball." Gianna was motivated to change the way people view women's sports while fighting for equal pay between genders.

Lopez was close to the Bryant family and posted an emotional message to Vanessa on Instagram after learning about the helicopter crash. As she wrote in the caption, Lopez discovered that family was the most important thing to the late NBA icon.

"Family. As I scrolled through Kobe's feed, and Alex and I talk memories and moments we remember about him … this is the truth that rings out the loudest … family is what matters most," Lopez wrote.

"We are all feeling sadness from this loss, but all I can think of is that it is a grain of sand compared to what Vanessa must going through right now. I am sending all of my love and praying for you, your children and the other families involved in today's tragic turn of events," Lopez continued.

"The most unfair thing in life is to lose a child and husband on the same day. Vanessa, I pray for your strength and that God guides you each step of the way through this unimaginable heartbreak. To the other families who are suffering from this unthinkable tragedy, may God be with you all."

(Photo Credit: CBS News)