Kobe Bryant, Gianna tribute mural painted over with 'disrespectful' coronavirus artwork, fans outraged
Fans of Kobe Bryant were left fuming after a famous mural painted in the memory of the late NBA superstar and his daughter was painted over with a coronavirus message.
Kobe, 41, and his daughter Gianna, 13, were killed in a helicopter crash along with seven others at the end of 2019. In the aftermath of the tragedy, tributes poured in from across the globe praying for the basketball legend's family.
One of the tributes to Kobe's timeless legacy came in the form of a mural painted on a wall by street artist Mr. Brainwash.
However, the viral artwork -- which featured a smiling Kobe with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna -- has now been replaced by a coronavirus message, according to CapitalXtra.
The mural tribute is now covered up by a bold red wall emblazoned with the words "Stay home, life is beautiful," sparking a meltdown among millions of Kobe's fans online.
One disgruntled user took to Twitter and wrote, "It looks a god damn mess WHO TF DID THIS" whilst another added, "That’s trash and saddening af."
Meanwhile, some users tried to explain that the original Kobe and Gianna mural was meant to be temporary, like many pieces of street art, and that the materials used by the artist meant it was destined to fall apart in time.
One Twitter user claimed that Mr. Brainwash, who created the mural, had put up the artwork using paper and wheatpaste.
"It was a temporary installation," they explained. "This artist, Mr. Brainwash, uses paper and wheatpaste which doesn't last forever."
"Someone said the artist is the one who painted over it bc it was damaged from the rain. It was beautiful and we’re to see it go [sic]," another added.
Having said that, the current artwork that has replaced the Kobe mural now focuses on the current coronavirus pandemic that has claimed tens of thousands of lives across the globe. Considering, it urges people to stay indoors and help stop the spread of the highly contagious pathogen.
Currently, in the US, there have been more than 188,639 confirmed cases of coronavirus while at least 4,059 people have died. Globally there are currently around 874,607 confirmed cases of coronavirus with the number constantly increasing.
So far, there have been around 43,430 deaths across the world due to coronavirus.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that young people should not consider themselves "invincible."
Speaking to the BBC, Dr. Rosena Allin-Khan, a Labour MP and A&E doctor, explained that the illness was "not simply limited to the elderly and those with underlying health conditions."
Allin-Khan said she had treated "fit and well" patients in their 30s and 40s who were now "fighting for their lives" in intensive care.
Meanwhile, the WHO has said that "although the evidence we have suggests that those over 60 are at highest risk, young people, including children, have died."
