Kobe Bryant’s widow Vanessa Bryant paid tribute to her late husband on the one-year anniversary of his tragic death, along with their daughter Gianna.Kobe and Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. They were among the nine passengers in his Sikorsky S-76 helicopter, which crashed into a mountain after encountering dense patches of fog in Calabasas, California.
The LA Lakers star was 41 when he died. He is survived by his wife Vanessa and their three children. Natalia, Bianca, and Capri, who is almost 2-years-old.
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“Will never understand why/how this tragedy could’ve happened to such beautiful, kind & amazing human beings. It still doesn’t seem real. Kob, we did it right. Gigi, you still make mommy proud. I love you,” Vanessa Bryant said in a touching tribute to Kobe and Gianna.
Last night (January 25th), Lakers superstar LeBron James dropped 46 points and grabbed eight rebounds against his original team the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a performance that was fueled by Kobe’s memory.
LeBron swatted that all the way to Akron 🤯
(📺: @SpectrumSN) pic.twitter.com/FYnPsJrzDZ
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 26, 2021
“It’s a saying that time heals all and as devastating and as tragic as it was and still is to all of us involved with it, only time. And it takes time, everyone has their own grieving process,” LeBron James told reporters over the weekend.
“It’s a lot of things that die in this world, but legends never die, and he’s exactly that. So it’s all about representing that,” LeBron concluded.
LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel gave the undefeated team (10-0) the day off today, to give the team a chance to mourn Kobe and Gianna’s death. Meanwhile, tributes poured in for the late NBA-All Star player.
Magic Johnson labeled Kobe his “brother for life,” while Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving showed up to the team’s game against the the Miami Heat, rocking a Kobe jersey.
Kobe will always be my @Lakers brother for life. 💜💛 pic.twitter.com/7WC9x6h4Dl
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 26, 2021
Kyrie showed up to tonight's Nets game in a Kobe jersey 🐍🖤
(via @BrooklynNets)pic.twitter.com/2LyKp0ajl0
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 25, 2021
“Thank you God for allowing me enjoy Kobe Bryant for 20 years as a great basketball player, athlete, husband, father, philanthropist, mentor & teacher of the game to many men & women of all ages,” Magic Johnson said.
Meanwhile, a city in Northern Italy named Reggio Emilia will debut the “Largo Kobe and Gianna Bryant.” The new plaza is named after Kobe because he spent a few years there as a kid, while his dad Joe played for the city’s Cantine Riunite, Reggio’s pro basketball team.