Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were laid to rest side-by-side at this private ‘family estate’ burial plot where heart rosaries are placed on their headstone, exclusive DailyMail.com photos show.
The father and daughter’s funeral service was quietly held last Friday at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar, California with no photographers present, following their tragic helicopter deaths on January 26.
The private plot is at the very top of the cemetery and looks directly down onto Newport Coast toward Bryant’s family home and the Pacific Ocean.
Newly planted purple and yellow flowers, which are representative of Bryant’s Lakers team colors, surround the burial plot, as do ‘love’ balloons, Valentine’s Day decorations and colorful flower pinwheels – which signify a child’s death.
The unmarked headstone has heart rosaries placed on either side of it, representative of the family’s Catholic faith, as DailyMail.com previously reported Bryant and Gianna had attended church together and took communion the morning they died.
Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were laid to rest side-by-side at a private ‘family estate’ burial plot last Friday at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar, California
These ‘family estate’ plots are the most expensive in the cemetery and have limited availability. This section has an approximately 4′ wall built around it and a locking gate
Rosaries are placed on their headstone, the exclusive DailyMail.com photos show
The father and daughter’s funeral service was quietly held last Friday at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar, California with no photographers present, following their tragic helicopter deaths on January 26
The unmarked headstone has heart rosaries placed on either side, representative of the family’s Catholic faith, as DailyMail.com previously reported Bryant and Gianna attended church together and took communion the morning they died
Newly planted purple and yellow flowers, which are representative of Bryant’s Lakers team colors, surround the graves, as do Love balloons and colorful flower pinwheels – which signify a child’s death
The private plot is at the very top of the cemetery and looks directly down onto Newport Coast toward Bryant’s family home and the Pacific ocean
A source told DailyMail.com that prior to Friday, the large number of colorful flower pinwheels placed along the back of the plot were not there.
They also explained the plot was one of the most expensive in the cemetery and is located at the very top of the cemetery.
In death certificates released this week by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, their causes of death are listed as blunt trauma and indicated that they died in a ‘rapid’ manner in the crash in the hills of Calabasas.
On Thursday, Bryant’s widow Vanessa renamed Bryant’s charity to honor Gianna, announcing that the Mamba Sports Foundation will now be known as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.
‘Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation,’ Vanessa wrote on her Instagram account.
‘Our mission remains the same – and stronger than ever – to provide opportunities to young people through sports,’ she continued.
‘Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy.
‘We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape.’
A public memorial is scheduled for Bryant on February 24 at the Staples Center. The date pays tribute to the ’24’ jersey number that Bryant wore since the 2006-07 season.
Bryant is survived by Vanessa and his other daughters Natalia, 17; Bianka, three; and Capri, seven months.
A source told DailyMail.com that prior to Friday, the large number of colorful pinwheels placed along the back of the plot were not there
They also explained the plot was one of the most expensive in the cemetery and is located at the very top of the cemetery
On Thursday, Bryant’s widow Vanessa renamed Bryant’s charity to honor Gianna, announcing that the Mamba Sports Foundation will now be known as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation
A bench is located on either side of the plot. A public memorial for the NBA star will be held on February 24 at the Staples Center
Bryant is survived by Vanessa and his other daughters Natalia, 17; Bianka, three; and Capri, seven months
Vanessa said in an Instagram post on Monday that she was both grieving and angry over the loss of her husband and daughter.
The 37-year-old mother has made few public appearances since the crash that killed her husband, daughter and seven others and said in the social media post that she had been ‘reluctant’ to put her feelings into words.
‘My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone,’ she said, using a nickname for her daughter. ‘I can’t process both at the same time. It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me.’
Vanessa said she felt anger at losing both her husband and daughter and has to remind herself to be strong for the couple’s three surviving daughters.
‘God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over,’ she said. ‘Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all.’
On Monday a public memorial service was held for three of the seven others who died in the crash: baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter Alyssa.
The certificates listed the causes of death as blunt trauma and indicated that they died in a ‘rapid’ manner in the January 26 crash in the hills of Calabasas
Coach John Altobelli, 56, far right, his wife, Keri, 43, second from left, and his daughter Alyssa, 13, left, also died in the helicopter crash that killed Bryant on January 26 in Calabasas. A memorial service was held for them on Monday
Federal investigators have not yet determined a cause for the crash in Calabasas, California, outside Los Angeles, but have said the helicopter was flying in dense fog and that there was no evidence of engine failure
The private plot is at the very top of the cemetery and looks directly down onto Newport Coast toward Bryant’s family home and the Pacific Ocean
Several thousand people poured into the stadium in Anaheim, California for the public memorial honoring the award-winning coach of Orange Coast College baseball, who was known for leading his team to four state titles and helping his young players grow and develop on and off the field.
Scores of them were in the stadium, along with members of current local college teams, wearing their jerseys.
‘We have no clue how many teachers, police officers, firefighters, dads and husbands that he helped develop along the way,’ his longtime friend Josh Belovsky told the crowd. ‘Those are the wins that he cherished the most.’
The 56-year-old coach known as ‘Alto’ won more than 700 games during his 27 years coaching the team and was named coach of the year last year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
The death of Bryant, an 18-time all-star in the National Basketball Association and one of the world’s most admired sports figures, prompted an outpouring of shock and grief from fans and fellow athletes around the globe.
The retired Los Angeles Lakers forward had been on his way to a youth basketball tournament in which he was coaching and his daughter and two other girls aboard the luxury chopper were due to compete.
Federal investigators have not yet determined a cause for the crash in Calabasas, California, outside Los Angeles, but have said the helicopter was flying in dense fog and that there was no evidence of engine failure.