Vanessa Bryant commemorated what would have been her late daughter Gianna’s 18th birthday with a touching Instagram post. Gianna, along with her father, basketball legend Kobe Bryant, and seven others, tragically died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.
Vanessa honored her daughter by sharing a montage of Gianna playing basketball and hugging her father. She wrote: “Happy birthday to my gorgeous girl, Gigi! I love you. I miss you. I’m so proud of you. 2024 was your year. You would’ve been graduating high school and choosing which college to go to. (I would’ve been trying my hardest to convince you to stay close to home).”
Gianna, a talented basketball player like her father, had aspirations to play in college and professionally. Vanessa’s post continued, “I’m proud of the change in sports you and daddy worked so hard on. You continue to motivate me and inspire young women and girls daily. I love you always, mommy.”
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In celebration of Gianna’s birthday, Vanessa also promoted the release of Nike’s Kobe 8 Protro sneaker in Mambacita, launched on May 1. The black and white shoes with gold accents and butterfly patterns honor Gianna’s impact on the game. Nike’s website describes the shoes as a tribute to Gianna’s joy for basketball, featuring personal touches like her name and number to inspire athletes to play with joy and competitiveness.
Vanessa is also the mother to three other daughters she shared with Kobe: 21-year-old Natalia, eight-year-old Bianka, and four-year-old Capri. Recently, she celebrated her 23rd wedding anniversary with Kobe, posting photos of their time together on Instagram with the caption, “Happy anniversary @kobebryant #23.”
In November 2023, Vanessa marked the 24th anniversary of meeting Kobe, sharing memories from their first encounter when she was 17 and he was 21. Kobe had previously shared their love story in his 2015 documentary, “Kobe Bryant’s Muse,” recalling how he eagerly sought her out during a two-day video shoot, eventually getting her phone number and talking for hours the next day.
