Kobe Bryant wanted daughter Natalia to take over his company: 'Kobe shared his love for movies with her'
Kobe Bryant's eldest daughter, Natalia, 17, was also present for the public memorial service along with her mother Vanessa and sisters, Bianka and Capri, that took place on Monday, February 24 at the Staples Center. Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others lost their lives in a fatal helicopter crash on January 26.
Natalia was not photographed at all during the live stream event and did not speak throughout the memorial. During the memorial Bryant's widowed wife, Vanessa gave her eulogy after which she and Natalia were seen walking out of the arena in a Twitter video shared online.
While the majority of people have focused on Bryant's relationship with his late daughter Gianna, in her eulogy, Vanessa highlighted Bryant's relationship with his other three daughters. Vanessa shared that Bryant had wanted his eldest daughter Natalia to take over his company and that he had wanted to travel the world together.
"We talked about how we would be the fun grandparents to our daughters’ children. He would have been the coolest grandpa," Vanessa shared.
"He shared a love of movies and breakdown of films with Natalia. He enjoyed renting out theaters and taking Natalia to watch the newest 'Star Wars' movie or 'Harry Potter' films. They would have movie marathons and he enjoyed every second of it. He loved the typical tearjerkers, too, and he loved watching 'Stepmom,' 'Steel Magnolias,' and 'Little Women.' He had a tender heart."
Just a week before the tragic chopper accident that killed her father, Natalia had turned 17. However, post Bryant's death, she was subjected to internet hoaxes that falsely stated that she had died. Some even went to the extent of saying that she had committed suicide. Natalia was born in 2003 when Bryant was at the peak of his career.
Bryant and Vanessa had given nicknames to all of their daughters with Natalia's being 'Nani'. In honor of her birthday, Bryant had shared an adorable photo on Instagram. He had written, "Happy Birthday my baby. I love you beyond measure. You will always be my little Principessa #17."
Back in 2003, when Natalia was born, Bryant had spoken to Jet Magazine about how it was to be a new father. While speaking of fatherhood and being a husband, Bryant shared, "I’ve learned how to be patient. Patience and listening, you must have those in a relationship [and to be a good father]."
He had also shared that when he was not playing basketball, he was at his house "messing around with my wife and Natalia all day pretty much. Reading to her, watching TV, jumping her up and down. She follows and she smiles." Since Bryant's death, Natalia has given no public statement about her father's death. As per an NBA fan page, Natalia attends the Sage Hill High School in Los Angeles.