Kobe Bryant bought wife famous dress from The Notebook, she reveals in memorial speech

Vanessa Bryant reveals touching gift her husband and childhood sweetheart gave her

Vanessa Bryant has paid tribute to her late husband in a moving eulogy during a public memorial service for Kobe and Gianna Bryant.

The 37-year-old mother of five took the stage at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles and spoke about the loss of her husband and daughter.

During the speech - which was listened to by not only the thousands in the arena but live streamed across the world - Mrs Bryant mentioned one of the particularly touching things her husband did for her before his death on 26 January.

The former NBA star gave his wife the original blue dress from the romantic film The Notebook, along with the notebook used by Rachel McAdam’s character Allie.

"He was thoughtful, even while working hard,” she said. “He gifted me the actual Notebook and the blue dress in The Notebook movie. When I asked him why, he said it was the scene where Allie comes back to Noah. We had hoped to grow old together like the movie. We really had an amazing love."

Mrs Bryant also spoke extensively about her daughter Gianna, also known as Gigi, who died in the helicopter crash along with seven others.

"Gianna Bryant is an amazingly sweet and thoughtful soul," she said. "She knew how much her morning and evening kisses meant to me...she was daddy's girl, but I know she loved her mama. She was one of my very best friends."

She then listed other attributes of her daughter, including her love to cook and ability to excel in a number of sports outside of basketball.

"Gigi was confident but not in an arrogant way," she said. "She was very much like her daddy. Gigi was very sweet. She always made sure everyone was OK."

Beyonce and Jimmy Kimmel were among those to take to the stage, with the singer performing two of Kobe Byrant’s “favourite songs”.