VANESSA Bryant, the wife of late NBA star Kobe Bryant, has finally issued a statement regarding the tragic passing of her husband and their second daughter, Gianna.
Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, were among the nine people killed Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
On Instagram, Vanessa posted a recent photo of her with her husband and their four daughters, captioned with her message of gratitude to “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,” she began.
Vanessa said that she and her daughters “share in the grief” of the families who similarly lost their loved ones on Sunday’s tragedy.
“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,” she said.
“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,” she added.
Vanessa went on to appeal for some privacy as she and her daughters continue to grieve for Kobe and Gianna.
“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,” she continued.
She also asked fans to honor their “Team Mamba” family by helping the other families affected by the tragedy.
“The Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy. To donate, please go to MambaOnThree.org. To further Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports, please visit MambaSportsFoundation.org,” she said.
“Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and me,” she added. (Push)
