Kobe Bryant and their daughter, Gianna, were killed in a helicopter crash in January.
Vanessa Bryant turned 38 Monday and it was the first birthday she has celebrated since the deaths of her husband, Kobe Bryant, and her daughter, Gianna, earlier this year.
Vanessa took to Instagram Tuesday to share a heartwarming story of a love letter she found from her late husband.
“Yesterday I found an envelope labeled To: The Love of my Life. From, Tu Papi,” she wrote. “I waited to open one more letter on my birthday. It gave me something to look forward to today. The irony is that Kobe had a photo of me drawn with an Angel holding me up by an artist on the cover. Missing the Love of my Life and my sweet little Mamacita- my fellow Taurus. Grateful to wake up to my 3 sweet girls today. Wish we were all together.”
She ended the post with #MyBirthdayWish.
Kobe, a five-time NBA champion, was known as the “Mamba” on the court due to his sharp focus. Gigi, his second-oldest daughter, was known as "Mambacita" due to her playing style, which bore a striking resemblance to that of her famous dad.
Vanessa's post comes less than a week after her late daughter would have turned 14.
“Happy 14th Birthday to my sweet baby girl, Gianna. Mommy loves you more than I can ever show you,” she wrote four days ago. “You are part of MY SOUL forever. I miss you so much everyday. I wish I could wake up and have you here with me. I miss your smile, your hugs and your giggles. I miss EVERYTHING about YOU, Gigi. I LOVE YOU so much!!!!!!!”
Earlier this year, the world was stunned when 13-year-old Gianna, who was known as "Gigi," was killed in a helicopter crash in Southern California with her father by her side. Seven other people, including two teenage teammates, were killed in the tragedy.
On Sunday, ESPN’s hit Michael Jordan docuseries, “The Last Dance,” dedicated their recent episode to Kobe Bryant.
Kobe, who emerged as the “next Michael Jordan” at the tail end of the Bulls champion’s career, was the focal point to part of the episode.
In the episode, candid cameras catch Jordan walking around Madison Square Garden for what would be his final NBA All-Star Game as a Bull chastising Bryant and referring to the Los Angeles Laker as “the little Laker boy.”
The docuseries then reveals the kindred and unknown connection between Bryant and Jordan. In an interview with the filmmakers before his untimely passing, Bryant called Jordan “his big brother.”
“What you get from me is from him,” he said in the docuseries. “I don’t get five championships without him.”
The segment with Bryant somberly concludes with him and Jordan walking off the court together at the All-Star Game. Jordan tells the then-neophyte player, “I’ll see you down the road,” leaving Kobe smiling from ear to ear.
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