In a touching moment, Shaquille O’Neal gifted the family of Kobe Bryant a renovated version of their 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser.
The vehicle was the Bryant’s family car and was given new life as part of a tribute by O’Neal.
“It was an old family vehicle that everyone tended to drive – Kobe’s sisters, Kobe, mom, dad, everyone drove this vehicle,” Anthony C. Hall, a friend of the late Lakers icon, told ABC News.
Aged just 41, Bryant died in a helicopter crash that also saw the death of his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people.
The news of his death shook the world, with Bryant a sporting legend who was loved by millions.
Bryant was just four years into his retirement from the NBA after spending his career with the Lakers.
He won five NBA championships, three of which came as part of a historic three-peat between 2000 and 2002.
O’Neal was part of that Lakers three-peat team and forged an incredible partnership with Bryant.
So it’s no surprise the NBA legend was touched heavily by Bryant’s passing as the pair also shared a friendship off the court.
O’Neal’s tribute through the renovation of Bryant’s family car is just one of many heartwarming gestures that the iconic center has made.
Before it was given new life, the SUV had fallen into rough shape.
According to Bryant’s friends, it had taken a beating from Philadelphia winters, where the family once lived, and later baked in the Las Vegas heat.
O’Neal used the help of Effortless Motors, based in California, to reboot the car.
O’Neal and Bryant are Lakers legends, with the pair dominating the early 2000s@ABC Shaquille O’Neal shared a close relationship with Kobe Bryant right up until his deathGETTY“Getting that phone call still feels like we’re dreaming,” co-owner Daniel Ubario told ABC News.
Ahmad Abdelrahman said when he found out the car belonged to Bryant, he nearly cried.
“When he told me that was the car Kobe drove in high school, I was in shock. I was literally almost in tears,” Abdelrahman said.
O’Neal asked the mechanics to restore the car back to its original shape wth no flashy upgrades.
He also asked the work to be done within 90 days so it could be gifted before Bryant’s 47th birthday.
“He just wanted to have that day to give the family vehicle back to mom Bryant,” Hall said.
Kobe Bryant’s memorial drew worldwide condolences, with fans gathering in many cities to celebrate his lifeGETTYThe mechanics did indeed meet the deadline to the delight of O’Neal, and importantly, it was restored to its original look.
“She was very happy that we even brought the car, looking exactly the way he drove it back in high school,” Ubario said.
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