A petition started online at Change.org is calling for the jersey of Gianna Bryant to be hung in the rafters of the Staples Center beside jerseys worn by her father, Kobe Bryant. The two were among nine lives lost following the tragic helicopter crash in California on Sunday.
The user — Sumer Mukhey — started the call-to-action and set the goal at 35,000 on Monday is rapidly approaching that number in less than a day. As of this posting, a little over 33,650 have put their names on it. The petition is entitled, “Put Gianna Bryant’s Jersey in the Rafters Alongside Kobe’s Two Retired Jerseys.”
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Her father has his No. 8 and No. 24 Lakers jerseys hanging. During the Grammy Awards on Sunday, a light was cast on his jersey hanging in the arena as Alicia Keys delivered a powerful tribute to him.
“With the untimely and unexpected passing of the great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, please sign this petition in an attempt to immortalize her forever in the rafters alongside her father at Staples. She wore the number 2 on her AAU team,” the Change.org page is described.
On Tuesday night, the user put out a response on that same page thanking all of the people who acted so swiftly in the movement.
“Wow, I am in complete shock that we just hit 25,000 signatures on this petition,” the comment began. “Gianna should be immortalized with her father in the rafters especially since they were attached at the hip, even in their last moments…”
Along with signing the page, users can also leave remarks at the bottom. Many have thanked the creator for putting forth this idea and many are hoping this gets in front of enough people that action is taken.
“What better way to remember Gigi and her father’s legacy,” a user who signed the petition wrote. “Make this happen!”
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The 13-year-old daughter to Bryant received a touching tribute by the University of Connecticut women’s basketball program prior to an exhibition game against the USA women’s national team. They placed a jersey with the No. 2 on it draped over a chair with flowers in front of it. Under the post on Instagram, was a caption that read, “Mambacita is forever a Husky.” Playing at the top women’s program was reportedly her dream.
