Many wondered if Vanessa Bryant would break her silence and speak publicly about the death of her husband and daughter which occurred last Sunday.
However, on Wednesday she finally made a statement via social media about her husband, Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna’s passing.
The emotional caption read, “My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time.”
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She added: “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 went on to say, “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.
“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.”
About this point, many of us were choking on her words, she continued saying, “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.”
Vanessa concluded by showing appreciation to the millions of tributes and love expressed by the millions of fans and sympathizers the world over.
“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.”
In the post, Vanessa publicly announced the creation of a fund, the MambaOnThree Fund to help other families affected by the misfortune.
The first public presence Vanessa made after the accident was on Wednesday morning when she changed her Instagram avatar to a photo of her husband and Gianna on a basketball court.
Kobe and Vanessa were childhood sweethearts and they were married for almost 19 years at the time of his sudden death. Like all couples they had their own issues that sometimes spilled into the limelight.
In 2011, the couple nearly got divorced citing irreconcilable differences, but two years down the line, the divorce was called off and the pair announced they had reunited.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are currently still investigating the crash that killed nine persons including Kobe and Gianna on Sunday in a helicopter.
The father-daughter duo was killed alongside seven others which sadly included an Orange Coast College baseball coach, his wife and 13-year-old daughter, who played on a basketball team with Gianna.
In the just held Grammy Awards, the basketball legend was honored with a moving tribute.
Following in their stead, the Oscars will come off on February 9 and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is planning to honor Kobe for the biographical short film, ‘Dear Basketball.”
