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.

Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Show all 14 1 /14 Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life People arrive to attend the "Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant" service at Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles AFP via Getty Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Vanessa Bryant speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant at Staples Center Getty Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Fans gather near the Staples Center AP Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Former Los Angeles Lakers' Magic Johnson hugs Kobe Bryant's mother Pam AP Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Mourners arrive EPA Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life TV personality Jimmy Kimmel Getty Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Fans line up to get into the Staples Center to attend a public memorial for former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, in Los Angeles AP Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Joe Bryant and former Los Angeles Lakers' Derek Fisher arrive for a celebration of life AP Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Alyssa Quevedo and her husband Emmanuel take a selfie in front of a mural of Kobe Bryant AP Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Mourners are seated before paying their respect EPA Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Dedmond Hewlett Jr., bottom, holds his son Dedmond Hewlett III, age 4, outside the Staples Center before a public memorial for former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, in Los Angeles, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo) Kelvin Kuo AP Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Former american basketball player Lamar Odom attends the public memorial Reuters Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Former Los Angeles Lakers watch during a celebration of life for Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna AP Kobe and Gianna Bryant: A celebration of life Kobe Bryant's parents Joe and Pam Bryant arrive AP

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."