Vanessa Bryant Posts Tear-Jerking Message To Late Husband Kobe Bryant On 47th Birthday

Vanessa Bryant marked what would have been Kobe Bryant’s 47th birthday on Saturday (August 23) with a heartfelt tribute that blended grief and gratitude, posting a nostalgic photo and message on Instagram to honor her late husband and their daughter Gianna.

“We love and miss you and Gigi so much,” Vanessa wrote alongside a photo of her planting a kiss on Kobe’s cheek. Sending our love to you. Happy Birthday, baby.”

The post comes more than five years after the NBA icon died at age 41 in a helicopter crash that also claimed the life of their 13-year-old daughter and seven others.

The tragedy, which occurred on January 26, 2020, continues to cast a long shadow over the Bryant family and the sports world.

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Vanessa, who shares three other daughters with Kobe — Natalia, 22, Bianka, 8, and Capri, 6 — has continued to honor her husband’s legacy in both personal and public ways.

Just last month, she shared a side-by-side image of their youngest, Capri, mimicking Kobe’s signature basketball stance. The caption read, “Like father, like daughter,” offering a glimpse into how the youngest Bryant is already channeling her dad’s athletic spirit.

In May, Natalia paid tribute to her father during her graduation from the University of Southern California by incorporating his iconic sheath logo into her commencement robe. The subtle yet powerful gesture was a nod to Kobe’s enduring influence on his family.

Kobe and Vanessa’s story began in 1999 when they met on the set of a music video. At the time, she was 17 and he was 20. The couple got engaged within six months and tied the knot in April 2001.