Kobe Bryant‘s parents, Joe and Pamela Bryant, attended the emotional celebration of life held in their late son’s honor at the Staples Center on Monday.
Joe, a former NBA player, and Pamela, were seen sitting next to Kobe’s two sisters, Sharia and Shaya Bryant, while widow Vanessa bravely took the stage to give aheartbreaking eulogy for her late husbandand 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
The grieving parents were seated in the same row as Vanessa and their three granddaughters — Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and 7-month-old Capri.
Kobe and his parents wereknown to have had a tumultuous relationshipthroughout the years. The Los Angeles Lakers star was often publicly vocal about their issues.
However, things appeared to be on the mend in the months after Kobe’s retirement in 2016 and leading up to his tragic death.
Family friend and former coach, Wayne Slappy, told theDaily Mailshortly after the fatal helicopter crash that Bryant and his father were recently seen hugging at an event and appeared to have made amends.
“I just remember being with him up at his camp in Santa Barbara and seeing him hug his dad,” Slappy, told the outlet. “You know how they loved each other from how they looked at each other, how they smiled.”
“His family are going to miss him more than you can begin to imagine,” Slappy added.
According to theLos Angeles Times, the fallout between Bryant and his parents dates back to his early relationship with eventual wife, Vanessa.
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant with family.Vanessa Bryant/Instagram
Neither Joe nor Pamela attended the couple’s wedding in April 2001, with Kobe telling theTimesin 2003 that his father was not comfortable with the pairing.
But Kobe and his father were said to have to reconciled in 2005 when Joe joined the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks as a coach.
In 2013, things became rocky yet again when Joe and Pamelaattempted to auction off a large collection of memorabilia from Bryant’s career, including a pair of Lakers championship rings from 2000 that he had gifted them.
Kobe said his parents did not notify him of the auction and did not give them permission to sell the items, according to theNew York Post,and this ultimately sparked a lawsuit that ended with a public apology from Joe and Pamela, who thanked their son for his financial support throughout his NBA career.
“We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia,” they said in astatement at the time. “We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years.”
Kobe’s Monday memorial also honored Gianna and the seven other victims; John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, and pilot Ara Zobayan.
source: people.com
