Celebs

Amidst Protests In The Killing Of George Floyd, Vanessa Bryant Shares Kobe’s Message: “I Can’t Breathe”

Published

4 years ago

June 1, 2020

With protests of the killing of George Floyd continue, Vanessa Bryant shares a powerful message from her late husband Kobe Bryant.
On Saturday, she shared a photo of Kobe wearing a black shirt with a statement, “I can’t breathe.”
The shirt was first worn by the NBA legend in 2014 when another black man was killed by a New York police officer.

With the ongoing protests after the killing of George Floyd, Vanessa Bryant shares the powerful message that her late husband Kobe Bryant once sent the world.

On the weekend, Vanessa, 38, posted a throwback photo of Kobe wearing a black statement shirt that says “I can’t breathe”—this is the same line that Floyd said in an attempt to plead for his life when a policeman pinned him down with a knee on his neck.

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“My husband wore this shirt years ago and yet here we are again.???? #ICANTBREATHE,” Vanessa wrote. “Life is so fragile. Life is so unpredictable. Life is too short. Let’s share and embrace the beautiful qualities and similarities we all share as people.”

“Drive out hate,” she continued. “Teach respect and love for all at home and school. Spread LOVE. Fight for change- register to VOTE. Do not use innocent lives lost as an excuse to loot. BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE. #BLACKLIVESMATTER ❤️.”

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In 2014, a black man named Eric Garner, was killed by a New York police officer by choking him with his arms around his neck to which Eric pleaded “I can’t breathe.” As a protest, Kobe had the “I can’t breathe” shirt printed and wore it for the first time.

“I think the beauty of our country lies in its democracy,” Kobe said. “I think if we ever lose the courage to be able to speak up for things that we believe in, I think we really lose the value that our country stands for. It’s important that we have our opinions, it’s important that we stand up for what we believe in. We all don’t have to agree with it, and that’s completely fine, that’s what makes this a beautiful country.”

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who pinned down Floyd to the ground and got him killed, has been fired from service and was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Source: PEOPLE