Three days after losing her husband and 13-year-old daughter in a helicopter crash, Vanessa Bryant took to Instagram Wednesday night with her first public statement about the tragic deaths of Kobe and Gianna.
“My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time,” the 37-year-old captioned a photo of the entire family. “Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them.”
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She wrote that they are “completely devastated” by the sudden loss of Kobe, who she called her “adoring husband,” and Gianna, who was “loving, thoughtful and a wonderful daughter and sister.”
Vanessa, who is also mother to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri, said they are devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday.
“We share in their grief intimately,” she added.
In addition to Kobe and Gianna, Gianna’s 13-year-old teammates Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester and their parents Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli and Sarah Chester as well as assistant coach Christina Mauser and pilot Ara Zobayan, all died in the crash.
“There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now,” she writes, saying that she’s found comfort in knowing that both Kobe and Gigi were deeply loved, and they both knew that.
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“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.”
Vanessa wrote that she’s not sure what their lives “hold beyond today,” because imagining life without Kobe and her baby girl is impossible. But the Bryant women plan to keep pressing forward the only way they know how.
“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 thanked fans for sharing their joy, their grief and their support with them over the last several days, and asked for privacy as they learn how to “navigate this new reality.”
She closed the post by sharing that Kobe’s Mamba Sports Foundation has set up a fund to help support the other families that were affected by Sunday’s tragedy.
The Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to support the families affected by this tragedy. To help, please visit https://t.co/e4Je5ORGC2. For those who are inspired to continue Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports, please visit https://t.co/KsaefpUNGf
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 30, 2020
For more information, visit MambaOnThree.org.
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