Jimmy Kimmel Pays Tearful Tribute to Kobe Bryant: ‘Everywhere You Go, You See His Face’

By Elaine Low

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Barely holding back tears, host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel paid tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that took their lives last month.

“I don’t think any of us could 
have imagined this,” he said. “
Everywhere you go, you see his 
face, his number, Gigi’s face, 
Gigi’s number at every
intersection. 
There are hundreds of murals 
painted by artists who were 
inspired not because he’s a 
basketball player, but because K
obe was an artist, too.” 

Kimmel noted that there were murals of the NBA star not just in Los Angeles, but across the country, even, “Boston, for God’s sake,” he quipped.

“In places where you would be
booed on the court, Kobe is
missed. 
Even the great Boston Celtic B
ill Russell wore number 24 on a 
Lakers jersey to yesterday’s
game. 
I knew he would come to us 
eventually,” said Kimmel, eliciting laughter. “
Today we’re joined by Kobe’s
teammates and opponents alike, 
his friends, his family and his 
fans, as we try to make sense of 
what happened to these nine 
beautiful people who were by all
accounts so full of life, who 
left behind parents, friends, 
coworkers, classmates, siblings 
and children. 
I’ve been trying to come up with
something positive to take away 
from this, and it was hard 
because there isn’t much, but 
the best thing I think I was 
able to come up with is this: g
ratitude.”

Kimmel encouraged the audience to be grateful for the time that they shared with Bryant and “for the
time we have left with each 
other, and that’s all.” 

“In the Catholic Church, you
know, which the Bryant family is 
part of, at mass we share the 
sign of peace,” he said. “
This is a moment to hug or shake 
hands with people around you, 
and it occurred to me that that 
is something that only seems to 
happen at church and at sporting 
events, when perfect strangers
who love the same team are 
suddenly hugging and high-fiving 
and celebrating together.” 

Kimmel then asked mourners at the memorial to introduce themselves to the people beside them, “to be grateful for 
life and for the fact that we 
are all here together.” 

The crowd then broke out into chants of “Kobe!  Kobe! Kobe!” before Kimmel introduced Bryant’s widow and Gianna Bryant’s mother, Vanessa Bryant.