Vanessa Bryant, the wife of NBA legend Kobe, has posted a heartbreaking tribute to her husband and daughter, just days after the pair were killed in a tragic helicopter crash in California, along with seven others.
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Bryant has been silently public since the crash early on Sunday (local time) which claimed the life of Lakers icon Kobe Bryant at the age of 41, as well as that of the couple’s daughter Gianna Bryant at just 13 years of age.
This afternoon however, Bryant broke her silence via an Instagram post, in which she spoke of the devastation her family is feeling right now not just for their own loss, but for the loss being felt by the other families directly affected by the crash.
Bryant described her husband, who she was married to for nearly 19 years, as “the amazing father of our children,” and Gianna as “a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter.”
She also announced the launch of fundraising efforts aimed at assisting the families of the other seven people who died in the crash, which is set to be run through Kobe’s previously established Mamba Sports Foundation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B77K8XWDY7O/
The full text of Vanessa Bryant’s Instagram message reads as follows:
“My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time. Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them.”
“We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe – the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna – a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.”
“We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately.”
“There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.”
“I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them. But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless – and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them, and bless them. Have them here with us, forever.”
“Thank you for sharing your joy, your grief, and your support with us. We ask that you grant us the respect and privacy we will need to navigate this new reality.”
“To honour our Team Mamba family, the Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy.”
“Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri, and me.”
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sunday’s fatal helicopter crash remain on-going.
