Sydney Leroux Dwyer, a 29-year-old soccer player, paid tribute to Kobe Bryant’s daughter Gianna Bryant.
On Monday, February 24, Vanessa Bryant shared a photo of the tattoo that Dwyer got in memory of Gianna who passed away in a helicopter crash last month.
Want the Top 5 news stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox before you even wake up? Sign up for the Fame10 Top 5 newsletter and receive 5 breaking news stories every morning!
Dwyer got a tattoo of the late teen’s basketball jersey number – number two. The numeral also happens to be Sydney’s jersey’s number.
“#2 ❤️, Leroux,” Vanessa Bryant, Gianna’s mother, wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of the new ink. “Thank you for honoring my Gigi. I love you @sydneyleroux.”
Gianna and her father Kobe Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash in January. Seven other passengers also passed away in the tragic accident: John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, and pilot Ara Zobayan.
Earlier this month, Gianna and Kobe were laid to rest in a private funeral. A public memorial service is being held at the Los Angeles Staples Center on Monday, February 24.
February 24 holds a special significance for the Bryant family: Gianna wore basketball jersey No. 2 at the Mamba Sports Academy, and Bryant wore No. 24 in the latter half of his career. The number 20 also represented the number of years the pro-basketball player played for the Los Angeles Lakers and the number of years he was with his wife Vanessa.
All the proceeds from the public Celebration of Life ticket sales will be donated to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. According to the website, the organization “exists to further Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s legacy through charitable endeavors in sports.”