Vanessa Bryant celebrated her late daughter Gianna’s birthday in an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday. Gianna, also known as Gigi, would have turned 18 on May 1.
Vanessa, 41, posted a video montage of Gigi along with an emotional caption sharing how much she misses her and will love her “always.”
“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’ve been graduating high school and choosing which college to go to. (I would’ve been trying my hardest to convince you to stay close to home),” Vanessa wrote.
She continued: “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.”
Gianna, Kobe Bryant, and 7 others died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020 in Calabasas, California.
Gigi played basketball for Mamba Sports Academy, where she was coached by her father.
Gigi (right) and her teammates Alyssa Altobelli (left) and Payton Chester (center) all died in the helicopter crash.
In honor of Gigi’s birthday, Vanessa and Nike released a new colorway of the Nike Kobe 8 “Mambacita” sneaker. The special-edition shoe features a black, white and gold butterfly theme and is available on May 1.
