As we continue to await details of the public memorial for Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven other passengers who perished in a helicopter crash in late January, reports say Bryant and his daughter were quietly buried in a private ceremony Friday.
The Los Angeles Times reports that according to Bryant’s death certificate, he was laid to rest at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar, Calif., on Feb. 7. The service was originally set to take place at Westwood Village Memorial Park but was changed.
That likely gave the family the much-needed privacy they deserve at this time.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, two of her teammates, their parents, and a coach from Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy basketball team, as well as the helicopter pilot, all died in the Jan. 26 crash near Calabasas, Calif., just north of Los Angeles. The group was on their way to a basketball game for the team.
Details for the Feb. 24 public memorial have yet to be finalized, but it is confirmed to be happening. Vanessa Bryant posted the date on her Instagram account, stating the memorial would start at 10 a.m. The date was chosen specifically to honor Gianna, who played wearing the No. 2 on her jersey, and Kobe, who played wearing No. 24 for most of his 20-year-career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The city of Los Angeles has been in deep mourning since Bryant’s passing, and tributes to him have sprung up all over the city. A fan-made memorial at Staples Center was recently dismantled, and many of the items left were sent to the Bryant residence at Vanessa Bryant’s request.