Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa pays moving tribute to husband, daughter

Kobe Bryant’s wife Vanessa has paid a moving and beautiful tribute to her husband and daughter Gianna after the tragic helicopter crash that claimed their lives on Sunday.

Paying the tribute to her lost loved ones, Vanessa changed the profile picture on her official Instagram account to one of the late NBA legend and daughter together on a basketball court.

She thanked the millions of people who sent condolence messages from all over the world, noting they (her family) are going through a rough patch at the moment.

“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,” part of her post read.

She continued: “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.

Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and me,” Vanessa concluded.

Vanessa further pointed out that the Mamba Sports Foundation had set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy. 

Bryant and his daughter were among the nine people that died following a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on Sunday morning.

The group was headed to Thousand Oaks, California for a basketball game where Gianna was expected to play, with her dad Kobe expected to coach.

Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed everyone on board died in the accident.

According to Daryl Osby, the Los Angeles County Fire Department chief, the helicopter crashed 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, causing a bush fire.

A shooting guard, Bryant played his entire 20-season career in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers.

He won five NBA championships in his glittering career. He was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, and the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP).

The fallen giant was widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

May he Rest in Peace!