Kobe Bryant Second Death Anniversary: Statue Erected at Helicopter Crash Site to Honor NBA Legend and Daughter Gianna
To honor the second death anniversary of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, Los Angeles-based sculptor Dan Medina erected a temporary bronze statue of the two at the crash site.
The 150-pound bronze sculpture shows Kobe Bryant in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform with his arm around Gianna, who is clutching a basketball and looking up at him.
Gianna Bryant is also wearing hoops gear, as she was headed to a youth basketball competition with her father before their chopper suddenly wrecked in the terrain.
The statue's base also bears the names of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, as well as the seven others who tragically died in the helicopter crash on the Calabasas hillside on January 26, 2020
The base of the statue reads: "Heroes come and go, but legends remain immortal."
The sculpture is just temporary - Medina says he will take it down at sunset - but the artist says he hopes the city would allow him to permanently install a larger, more life-sized replica.
On the anniversary Wednesday, tributes to Kobe Bryant, Gianna, and the other victims of the tragedy have poured in, with athletes and celebrities from all over honoring them all on social media.
On May 16, 2021, 16 months after his death at the age of 41, Bryant was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Family, Friends Remembering Bryant
Kobe Bryant was considered a global hero. In addition to his five championship rings, records, and unwavering love for the Los Angeles Lakers, he left a lasting legacy.
At the age of 37, Kobe retired on April 13, 2016, scoring 60 points against the Utah Jazz, in a game he came from behind and won by himself.
He was capable of a lot more than that, like the night he scored 81 points in a 2006 game against the Toronto Raptors.
"Your legacy goes beyond basketball," Lakers owner Jeanie Buss declared in 2017.
The Lakers will never again wear either the 8 or the 24 as they are now retired, according to Buss.
Jordan Farmar, a former Lakers player, told CBSLA about his fond memory of Bryant, saying how much he evolved from being the "ultra-fierce competitor" to the "soft, healthy, and worldly guy."
Farmar believes Bryant's kids softened him up and made him that way.
On Saturday, Vanessa Bryant is looking back on some of her late husband's legendary achievements in the NBA as she took to Instagram to share a throwback of Kobe's scoring 81 points in a single game.
In recognition of the huge milestone, she uploaded a photo of her giving Kobe a post-game kiss while he held onto their then 3-year-old daughter, Natalia.
Vanessa is currently suing Los Angeles County for its release of personal cell phone images.
The photographs of Kobe and Gianna Bryant's bodies were allegedly passed around on 28 L.A. County Sheriff's Department devices as well as a dozen firefighters' devices, according to Bryant's lawyers. The images were allegedly shown at bars and at an awards event, according to the attorneys.
The federal trial is due to begin on February 22 if no settlement is reached.
"He is a man who inspired millions, all over the world," said Jerry West, the former general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers who was responsible for bringing him to the team.
Kobe was an 18-time All-Star, twice MVP in the Finals, once in the season and the fourth-highest scorer in NBA history, only surpassed by Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Karl Malone, and LeBron James.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: Statue of Kobe Bryant and Gigi erected at helicopter crash site in Calabasas l ABC7 - from ABC7
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