LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kobe Bryant’s widow announced Friday that a “celebration of life” memorial will be held on Feb. 24 at the Staples Center to honor her late husband and 13-year-old daughter Gianna. They and seven others died in a helicopter crash last month.
Vanessa Bryant posted a graphic on Instagram morning to announce the service, a day after reports surfaced about the memorial.
Her post only said the event will occur at 10 a.m. and there are “details to come.” There was no caption with the graphic, which featured purple and gold butterflies — which are the colors for the Los Angeles Lakers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Rk8gHDUq7/
Within seven minutes, the post had nearly a quarter-million likes
The arena is where the NBA Hall-of-Famer played for the Lakers for most of his two-decade career and the date 2/24 corresponds with the No. 24 jersey he wore and the No. 2 worn by Gianna.
Bryant was killed when the helicopter carrying him, his daughter and the others crashed into a mountainside in Calabasas, California, while flying to a girls basketball tournament at his Mamba Sports Academy. Gianna’s team was coached by Bryant and was playing in the tournament.
No cause for the crash has been determined, though a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board is expected next week at the earliest.
