Vanessa Bryant, wife of the late basketball icon Kobe Bryant, has revealed a tribute to their child on what would have been her 18th birthday with the release of a new Nike sneaker design.
The sporting community was plunged into mourning following the tragic deaths of the Los Angeles Lakers legend and his daughter Gianna in January, 2020. They were killed in a helicopter crash alongside seven other passengers while travelling in the aircraft some 30 miles from Los Angeles.
More than four years on from the Bryant family's heartbreak on that fateful day, Vanessa has shared details of one of the subtle ways she is honoring the life of her daughter. Taking to social media, she has now revealed to her followers that a new colorway of the Nike Kobe 8 "Mambacita" sneakers will be released to pay homage to Gianna.
The design is black, white and gold in color and features a butterfly theme, with the profits from the sales set to go towards the Mambacita Sports Foundation. This charity was set up by Vanessa in memory of Kobe and Gianna to assist young athletes from under-privelleged backgrounds.
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Her post announcing the new release was captioned: "MAMBACITA, 5/1/2006, GIGI, while Nike also said: "On 5.1 we celebrate Gianna 'Gigi' Bryant’s 18th birthday and the transformational impact she had on highlighting women’s sports with the release of the Kobe 8 Protro 'Mambacita'."
Superstars including Khloe Kardashian , Kris Jenner and Kathy Hilton issued shows of support for Bryant with the new venture, with fans following suit with touching messages of their own. One follower replied to the post saying: "So good, while another said: "Wow! Absolute perfection, before another added: "Every detail is so beautiful."
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Vanessa has paid emotional tributes to her husband in recent months too, marking their 23rd wedding anniversary in April with an Instagram post captioned: "Happy Anniversary @kobebryant #23," alongside a separate post on her Stories, which showed her wedding ring, with the song "Anniversary" by Tony! Toni! Toné! playing in the background.
In the picture, Kobe is shown wearing a suit and tie, while Vanessa is seen alongside him in a gold dress. The couple appeared to have been enjoying an evening out in the images, while also sharing some tender moments as they danced and kissed in front of the camera.
Earlier in the year, she also hailed the unveiling of a statue for her late husband at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles , with plans also in place for further tributes. Vanessa also has claimed that two more statues will be built in his honor, including one which will also pay homage to Gianna.
Reflecting on the support from fans after the first statue was unveiled, she said: "Kobe has so many people that have supported him all over the world from the very beginning and this moment isn't just for Kobe, but it's for all of you that have been rooting for him all of these years."
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Vanessa paid a separate tribute to her late daughter, saying: "Happy birthday to my gorgeous girl, Gigi! I love you. I miss you. I'm so proud of you. 2024 was your year. You would have been graduating high school and choosing which college to go to. (I would have been trying my hardest to convince you to stay close to home)."
She added: "I'm proud of the change in sports you and daddy worked so hard on. You continue to motivate me and inspire young women and girls daily. I love you always, mommy."
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