Kobe Bryant's Daughter Gave An Emotional Speech Honoring Her Dad & It's a Total Tearjerker

Rebecca Rakowitz
·3 min read
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It’s hard to believe it’s been more than three years since the world lost NBA legend and Oscar-winning filmmaker Kobe Bryant, who died at age 41 alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash that killed nine people. It was devastating for his loved ones and fans, and so it was a special and emotional day on Wednesday when he became the first athlete to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His oldest daughter, Natalia Bryant, 20 gave a moving speech at the ceremony before she joined her family — mom Vanessa and sisters Bianka, 6, and Capri, 3 — to unveil Kobe’s handprints and footprints in front of the TCL Chinese Theater.

“I’m honored to be here today to recognize the man that we all knew and loved, my dad Kobe Bryant,” she said. “…Most people knew him as a basketball player or a storyteller. I got to know and love him as my dad.”

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“And let me tell you,” she continued, “he’s the MVP of girl dads to say the least.”

Natalia explained how he was always there for his four daughters, attending their recitals, games, tournaments, and other events even while juggling his own busy schedule. She then how they would watch movies together — and how those screenings inspired her to want to create films that bring other fathers and daughters together. She also shared intimate details about how any time she was up late at night, “Whether it was working on a school project, getting a midnight snack or unable to sleep,” she would find him writing, storyboarding, or editing, eventually creating his beloved short film, Dear Basketball.

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Natalia described being Kobe’s daughter as “one of the greatest joys of [her] life,” and added, “I hope to continue to embody and cherish the many lessons he has taught me,” she said.

We can’t imagine there was a dry eye in the crowd.

Acknowledging what a great honor it is that her dad’s handprints and footprints will be “forever displayed” in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre, she said, “I encourage you to [come visit and] place your hands in his and take a moment to stand in his shoes.” Her younger sisters did just that once the memorial was uncovered. “This will be a treasure for the city of Los Angeles and for my dad’s fans from all over the world to hold and to cherish.

“I’m honored to be here to represent [my dad] and our family,” she closed her speech. “And we are extremely proud of you. We love you forever and always. Love, Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, Capri, and Mommy.”

These celebrity fathers are all proud to be “girl dads.”

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