NEWSVanessa Bryant Honors Late Husband Kobe Bryant On His Would-Be 44th Birthday: 'I Love You And Miss You So Much!'
Aug. 23 2022, Published 12:33 p.m. ET
More than two years after the passing of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, the athlete’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, is honoring her beloved late husband on his would-be 44th birthday.
On Tuesday, August 23, Vanessa took to Instagram with a heartwarming throwback image of her and her basketball legend partner in honor of the occasion.
“Happy birthday, baby!” Vanessa captioned the sweet snap, depicting the pair sporting smiles amid a romantic embrace. “I love you and miss you so much!”
But it wasn’t just Vanessa who took time to honor the former Los Angeles Laker on his almost milestone. Kobe’s eldest daughter, Natalia Bryant, also marked the occasion on social media, sharing an adorable photo of her sitting on her father’s lap as a little girl. She accompanied the picture with a heartfelt birthday message.
“Happy Birthday Daddy!” the 19-year-old model wrote on Instagram, punctuating her caption with a heart emoji.
On January 26, 2020, the Lakers legend and his second eldest daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, as well as seven others, were killed after their helicopter crashed into the side of a hill in Calabasas, Calif. Kobe was 41. His daughter was only 13.
Kobe and Gianna are survived by Vanessa, Natalia, as well the couple’s two other daughters — 5-year-old Bianka Bryant and 3-year-old Capri Bryant.
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- Kobe Bryant's Daughter Natalia Is Heading To University Of Southern California — See Proud Mom Vanessa's Post
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This isn’t the first time Vanessa shared a touching tribute to Kobe on social media. Last August, the 40-year-old philanthropist posted yet another sweet throwback, dubbing the Olympic gold medalist her “eternal love.”
"Happy birthday, Papi,” she wrote at the time. “Te Amo por siempre. Amor Eterno," she continued, a sentiment that translates to “I love you forever. Eternal love,” as OK! previously reported.
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Vanessa has also spoken candidly about balancing how to process her grief with her role as a mother, crediting her daughters with inspiring her to persevere through tough days.
"My eyes and pain can't be filtered in person," Vanessa wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post from last year. "They know mommy has hard days but when I see their faces when they realize that I've been crying, it makes me straighten up and push through for them. I counter it with making them smile about something,” she said, adding that she is “always finding the light in darkness."
