Latest news with #GirlDad
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vanessa Bryant paid tribute to her late husband, Kobe Bryant, on what would have been their 24th wedding anniversary
Vanessa and Kobe Bryant were married on April 18, 2001, in California; Vanessa paid tribute to their 24th anniversary on Instagram. Vanessa Bryant and the late Kobe Bryant would have been married 24 years this past Friday. The basketball legend's 42-year-old widow paid tribute to him in an Instagram post on Friday, April 18, on what would have been their 24th wedding anniversary. The post included a photo of the couple posing on the red carpet for the 'Rush Hour 2' premiere in 2001. In the caption, she referenced Bryant's iconic jersey number, 24, further signifying the significance of this particular anniversary. '#24. #Anniversary (heart emoji) @kobebryant (heart emoji) 4/18/01.' she wrote. After meeting in 1999, Vanessa and Kobe memorably married after just six months of dating on April 18, 2001. They were married in a private ceremony with just twelve people present at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, Calif. The couple went on to welcome four daughters: Natalia, 22, Bianka, 8, Capri, 5, and the late Gianna, who died at the age of 13 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Jan. 26, 2020, with her father and seven others. Kobe was 41 at the time of the crash. Since the tragedy, Vanessa has been active in keeping both her late husband's and her daughter's memories alive through a variety of initiatives. In 2020, Kobe's Mamba Foundation, which provides underserved youth with athletic opportunities, was renamed Mamba & Mambacita in Giana's honor. That same year, the Kobe and Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award was launched to highlight those who have made an impact through the promotion of girls and women's basketball. In August 2024, further honoring how important uplifting women's basketball was to Kobe, the Lakers and Vanessa unveiled a bronze statue dubbed 'Girl Dad' outside of Arena in Los Angeles. The statue, which features Kobe and Gianna embracing, was inspired by a viral photo of the father-daughter duo in a similar pose while courtside just weeks before their untimely deaths. 'Kobe was the ultimate Girl Dad and Gigi was the ultimate Daddy's girl,' Vanessa told the crowd during the unveiling, per People magazine. Vanessa has also paid heartfelt tributes to Kobe and Gianna many times over on social media. On Valentine's Day in February, she posted a sweet shot of the two dressed up with bright smiles on their faces. In January she announced 'Mamba & Mambcita Forever' a forthcoming book commemorating murals painted in honor of the father and daughter duo. On his birthday in August 2024, she also made sure to show him some love. 'Happy birthday @kobebryant . I love you for now, forever & for always,' she wrote along with a red heart emoji. More must-reads: Shannon Sharpe names accuser, who was 19 when their relationship began in 2023, reveals explicit text messages, denies allegations Kevin Hart announced as the host for the 2025 BET Awards Breaking financial cycles: How FinLit is teaching families to build wealth together
West Australian
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa Bryant shares touching image on would-be 24th wedding anniversary
Vanessa Bryant has paid a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, Kobe Bryant, on what would have been their 24th wedding anniversary. On Friday, April 18, Vanessa shared a nostalgic photo on Instagram to mark the special day. The couple, who first met in the summer of 1999 and became engaged within six months, were married on April 18, 2001, at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. Their wedding was a private affair with only about a dozen guests in attendance. In her tribute, Vanessa highlighted Kobe's iconic No. 24 Los Angeles Lakers jersey, captioning the post: '#24. #Anniversary ❤️ @kobebryant ⛪️❤️ 4/18/01 🙏🏽.' The photo showed the couple at the Rush Hour 2 premiere in July 2001, capturing a moment from early in their life together. Kobe and Vanessa had four daughters together: Natalia, 22, Bianka, 8, Capri, 5, and the late Gianna, who tragically died alongside her father in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. Gianna was 13, and Kobe was 41 at the time. In the years since their deaths, Vanessa and her family have worked to keep their memories alive through various memorials and projects. Just days before the fifth anniversary of Kobe and Gianna's passing, Vanessa announced the upcoming release of Mamba & Mambacita Forever, a collection of over 100 murals and stories celebrating their lasting impact. The book is set to be released on August 19, shortly before Kobe Bryant Day on August 24. According to a press release, the book 'brings together the images and stories' of the public art installations honouring Kobe and Gianna. In August 2024, the Los Angeles Lakers and Vanessa unveiled a bronze statue titled 'Girl Dad' outside Arena to honour Kobe's relationship with his daughters. Vanessa has spoken openly about the pain of losing her husband and daughter, telling People in March 2021, 'This pain is unimaginable (but) you just have to get up and push forward. Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again. But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do.'
Perth Now
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Kobe Bryant's wife shares heartbreaking image on anniversary
Vanessa Bryant has paid a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, Kobe Bryant, on what would have been their 24th wedding anniversary. On Friday, April 18, Vanessa shared a nostalgic photo on Instagram to mark the special day. The couple, who first met in the summer of 1999 and became engaged within six months, were married on April 18, 2001, at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. Their wedding was a private affair with only about a dozen guests in attendance. Kobe Birthday Credit: Kobe Birthday In her tribute, Vanessa highlighted Kobe's iconic No. 24 Los Angeles Lakers jersey, captioning the post: '#24. #Anniversary ❤️ @kobebryant ⛪️❤️ 4/18/01 🙏🏽.' The photo showed the couple at the Rush Hour 2 premiere in July 2001, capturing a moment from early in their life together. Vanessa Bryant marks what would have been her 24th wedding anniversary with Kobe Bryant by sharing a heartfelt Instagram tribute and continuing their legacy. Credit: Vanessa Bryant marks what would have been her 24th wedding anniversary with Kobe Bryant by sharing a heartfelt Instagram tribute and continuing their legacy. Kobe and Vanessa had four daughters together: Natalia, 22, Bianka, 8, Capri, 5, and the late Gianna, who tragically died alongside her father in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. Gianna was 13, and Kobe was 41 at the time. In the years since their deaths, Vanessa and her family have worked to keep their memories alive through various memorials and projects. Just days before the fifth anniversary of Kobe and Gianna's passing, Vanessa announced the upcoming release of Mamba & Mambacita Forever, a collection of over 100 murals and stories celebrating their lasting impact. The book is set to be released on August 19, shortly before Kobe Bryant Day on August 24. According to a press release, the book 'brings together the images and stories' of the public art installations honouring Kobe and Gianna. Valentines Day Vanessa Bryant shares tribute to Kobe Credit: Valentines Day Vanessa Bryant shares tribute to Kobe In August 2024, the Los Angeles Lakers and Vanessa unveiled a bronze statue titled 'Girl Dad' outside Arena to honour Kobe's relationship with his daughters. Kobe statue unveiled August 2024 Credit: Kobe statue unveiled August 2024 Vanessa has spoken openly about the pain of losing her husband and daughter, telling People in March 2021, 'This pain is unimaginable (but) you just have to get up and push forward. Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again. But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do.'
