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.