Posts Tagged: Memorial service

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Joe Biden, Mike Pence Meet at 9/11 Memorial in NYC

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Joe Biden and Mike Pence participated in a moment of silence for the 9/11 victims at Ground Zero in New York City on Friday.

Biden, left, and Pence bumped elbows and wore face masks to symbolize unity during the weakening coronavirus.

Biden, Vice President Pence and their wives joined former NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg and his life partner to observe a moment of silence during a memorial at Ground Zero.

Following the moment of silence, the names of thousands of victims were played in pre-recorded audio by family members.

The names are usually read in-person by family members, but the ceremony was scaled back to accommodate the visiting lawmakers and Secret Service agents.

After the ceremony, Biden will head to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to honor the 40 passengers and crew members who died on board United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed when the passengers fought with hijackers to regain control of the plane on Sept. 11, 2001.

"I'm not going to be making any news today. I'm not going to talk about anything other than 9/11," Biden said before departing to New York. "We took all our advertising down. It's a solemn day and that's how we're going to keep it."

President Donald Trump also took down his campaign ads for the day.

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Rep. John Lewis to Lie in State at U.S. Capitol Building

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A hearse carrying the American flag-draped casket of Rep. John Lewis, stopped at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. before heading to the U.S. Capitol where he will lie in state.

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Screengrab: ABC News

His son was given the Black Lives Matter street sign to mark the moment. Crowds stood along the road to watch Lewis's hearse pass by.

Lewis died after a yearlong battle with cancer on July 17 at age 80.

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His motorcade landed at Andrews Air Force base before making stops at historic sites in D.C., including the African American Museum.

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On Sunday, Lewis' hearse crossed over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on the second day of remembrance for the late civil rights leader.

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Lewis once said one of the proudest moments in his life was seeing Barack Obama sworn in as president in January 2009.

Lewis's long journey for equality will end with his funeral at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday, July 30.

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Hundreds Mourn Retired Police Captain Killed by Looters in St. Louis

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Hundreds gathered to pay their respects at a public visitation for retired St. Louis police Captain David Dorn, who was shot and killed by a looter during the George Floyd protests on June 2.

The line stretched for nearly 2 blocks as 500 people attended the viewing at Hopewell Baptist Church. Uniformed police officers were among those attending the viewing.

Dorn worked in law enforcement for 40 years before retiring in 2014. His wife still works for the St. Louis police department.

Family and friends gathered for Dorn's private funeral on Tuesday.

Dorn, 77, was killed while checking out a silent alarm at a friend's pawn shop during the peaceful protests. He was found outside Lee's Pawn and Jewelry shop with a gunshot wound in the upper torso.

Stephan Cannon, 24, was arrested and charged in his murder. Another suspect was charged with burglary and other offenses.

Cannon was convicted of armed robbery in 2014 but never served a day in prison for the crime.

"Based upon the diligent work of the police department, collaboration with the Circuit Attorney's Office, and the cooperation from the outraged community, we have issued charges for the tragic murder of former Captain David Dorn," said St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner in a statement on Sunday.

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George Floyd’s fiancée cried over his casket at memorial service. She says he planned to open a restaurant

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George Floyd's fiancée says he had dreams of becoming an entrepreneur before his life was ended by a former Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes on May 25.

Courteney Ross, 44, attended Floyd's emotional memorial service in Minneapolis on Thursday. She sobbed over his casket as friends comforted her.

Ross, who manages a coffee shop in the city's north east side, says she last spoke to Floyd the day before he died.

She said Floyd turned his life around and he had plans to open a restaurant called the Convict Kitchen.

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"He served some time in a Texas prison and after he was released he was able to get help with an organization called Turning Point," she said. "One job led to another and another. He really loved it here. He did get some peace in his life here."

She said Floyd wanted to hire ex-convicts to work at his restaurant to give them a second chance at life like he was given.

It is difficult for ex-convicts to find gainful employment because of their criminal records.

"Floyd even had some of the foods picked out that he wanted to serve his customers," she said. "He had ideas on some of the foods he wanted to serve. He wanted to serve food at his restaurant that ex-cons would cook in their cell, using the foods inmates would buy at the commissary and making a gourmet dish out of it."

She added: "Floyd use to tell me that you can practically make anything out of Ramen Noodles, you can grind them up and use them to make pizza dough [for] a cake if you add Oreo Cookies."

The Minneapolis memorial was the first of three services for Floyd. Rappers Master P, Tip "T.I." Harris, and Ludacris attended the memorial service on Thursday. The services will culminate with Floyd's funeral in his hometown of Houston, Texas on Tuesday, June 9.

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CNN Reporter Says George Floyd ‘Looking Down from Prison’

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An embarrassing moment occurred when one of CNN's reporters suffered a Freudian slip of the tongue and uttered the words, "George Floyd is looking down from prison" during coverage of a memorial service for the slain Minnesota man on Thursday.

A Freudian slip is the utterance of an unconscious subdued wish or a suppressed thought.

CNN has not commented on the gaffe.

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Joe Biden leaves his basement for the first time in 2 months

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Former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden left their Delaware home to lay a wreath at Delaware Memorial Bridge Veteran's Memorial Park on Memorial Day in the U.S.

It was the 77-year-old senator's first appearance in public since the coronavirus lockdowns began in March.

The presumptive Democratic nominee and his wife paid their respects to fallen service members in Newcastle, Delaware on Monday, May 25.

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The Bidens dressed in black with matching black face coverings. Biden wore black aviator sunglasses. A small crowd gathered to observe the Bidens as they left the memorial park.

In neighboring Maryland, U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump lay a wreath for fallen soldiers at Baltimore's Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.

"To every Gold Star Family here today and all across our land, our debt to you is infinite and everlasting. We stand with you today and all days to come," the president said in his prepared speech.

Earlier Monday, President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Beyonce Banned Photographers From Taking Photos of Her at Kobe’s Memorial Service

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Photographers at the star-studded Kobe Bryant memorial service in Los Angeles were reportedly banned from taking pictures of Beyonce Knowles-Carter.

Beyonce (right) is pictured at the memorial service with her longtime publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, before departing the arena.

20,000 fans and hordes of stars flocked to the Staples Center for the live-streamed memorial to basketball legend Kobe, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant, who were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash last month.

Beyonce, 39, opened the memorial with stirring performances of her hit songs "XO" and "Halo," which Kobe's wife Vanessa Bryant says were among his favorite tunes.

But photographers from the Associated Press and Getty Images told the New York Post that organizers of the event banned them from taking pictures of the singer or Kobe's children.

"A Staples Center staffer was dispatched to make sure not a single camera was focused on the stage," a source told gossip column Page Six.

"The photographers couldn't believe it. This doesn't help Beyonce's image at all, it hurts her. It makes her look like a diva. The memorial wasn't about her. The only shots of Bey that did emerge were screen grabs from TV. None of the other artists at the memorial asked for this, not Christina Aguilera, not Alicia Keys."

Representatives for the semi-retired cabana singer have yet to respond to the claims.

It's widely known that the mother-of-three only releases pictures she approves of, taken at certain at angles, and Photoshopped to perfection by an official photographer after the Internet made a mockery of her 2013 Super Bowl performance when news outlets publishing "unflattering" images of her.

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Beyonce Performs One of Kobe Bryant’s Favorite Songs at Memorial Service

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Thousands attended the star-studded memorial service for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Bryant, at the Staples Center on Monday, Feb. 24.

Bryant, 41, and Gianna, 13, were killed in a helicopter crash along with seven others last month.

Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

The memorial service, which started at 10 a.m. local time, drew fans from around the country, some of whom paid up to $250 for a ticket.

Organizers urged people without tickets to stay away from the arena. LAPD reported no disturbances, according to NBC New York.

Bryant's wife Vanessa Bryant gave a tearful speech after an introduction by Jimmy Kimmel.

"I'd like to thank everyone for coming today," she said. "The outpouring of love and support that my family has felt from around the world has been so uplifting."

She was joined by her daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and 7-month-old Capri They were surrounded by family and friends on stage.

Photo by WENN.com

"She was daddy's girl but I know she loved her mama," Vanessa said of Gianna. "She was one of my very best friends."

Semi-retired singer Beyonce Knowles-Carter, 39, performed one of Kobe's favorite songs at the service.

"I'm here because I love Kobe and this was one of his favorite songs," said Beyonce before performing her hit single "Halo" along with a live orchestra.

Alicia Keys also performed one of Kobe and Vanessa's favorite musical sonatas by Beethoven on a purple piano. Kobe learned how to play the piece by ear.

NBA legends Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal made stirring speeches.
 


 


 


 

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Kobe Bryant and Daughter Gianna Laid to Rest 2 Weeks After Tragic Helicopter Crash

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Kobe Bryant and 13-year-old Gianna Bryant were laid to rest two weeks after the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of the NBA legend, his daughter and seven others.

A private funeral for Kobe, 41, and Gianna was held in Corona Del Mar, California on Friday, Friday 7, according to multiple reports.

Kobe and his daughter were laid to rest near each other at Pacific View Memorial Park, according to published reports.

The Los Angeles Times cited death certificates released by the county which gives the date of internment as Feb. 7.

Sources tell Entertainment Tonight Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, 37, and the family "wanted a private service to mourn their loss".

A planned memorial will be held for the public at Los Angeles' Staples Center on Feb. 24. It is not clear if Kobe's family will attend the public memorial.

Photo by David Livingston / WENN

Vanessa and Kobe are pictured in 2005, a year before daughter Gigi was born. They are pictured below in 2007 with daughters Gigi and Natalia Bryant at Disneyland.

Photo by Adriana M. Barraza / WENN

On Monday, over 1,000 people attended a memorial service for three members of the Altobelli family, who also died in the crash. 4,000 people were expected to attend the service for John, Kelly and Alyssa Altobelli at Angel Stadium.

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Vanessa Bryant says her brain refuses to accept Kobe and Gianna Bryant are gone: ‘I’m so mad’

Photo by Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

Vanessa Bryant opened up about her grieving process, saying her "brain refuses to accept" both her husband Kobe Bryant, 41, and 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant are gone.

Kobe and Gianna, along with seven others, died in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California 2 weeks ago.

Photo by Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

In an emotional Instagram post alongside video of Gigi and her teammates Payton Chester, 13, and Allysa Altobelli, 14, who also died in the crash, Vanessa, 37, wrote the "nightmare" just feels "wrong."

"I've been reluctant to put my feelings into words," she said. "My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone. I can't process both at the same time."

She continued: "It's like I'm trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. It feels wrong.

"Why should I be able to have that opportunity?! I'm so mad. She had so much life to live. Then I realize I need to be strong and be here for my 3 daughters. Mad I'm not with Kobe and Gigi but thankful I'm here with Natalia, Bianka and Capri."

Photo by WENN.com

Vanessa said she is sharing her thought process with her followers "in case there's anyone out there that's experienced a loss like this. God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all."

Vanessa shared the post hours before a stadium memorial for the three members of the Altobeli family who died in the crash. 4,000 mourners are expected to attend the memorial.

It is not clear if Vanessa will be in attendance.
 

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I’ve been reluctant to put my feelings into words. My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone. I can’t process both at the same time. It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. It feels wrong. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live. Then I realize I need to be strong and be here for my 3 daughters. Mad I’m not with Kobe and Gigi but thankful I’m here with Natalia, Bianka and Capri. I know what I’m feeling is normal. It’s part of the grieving process. I just wanted to share in case there’s anyone out there that’s experienced a loss like this. God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all.

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