How Vanessa Bryant has memorialized Kobe and daughter Gianna (2024)

January 26, 2023, marks three years since the deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.

In 2020, Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, were killed in a helicopter crash, along with seven others, in Calabasas, California, on their way to a basketball game that Gianna, known as Gigi, was due to play in.

The terrible incident broke hearts across the world, and the pair were mourned by fans, Kobe's widow, Vanessa, and their three other daughters; Natalia, Capri and Bianka.

How Vanessa Bryant has memorialized Kobe and daughter Gianna (1)

Kobe, nicknamed the Black Mamba, was, of course, best known for being a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the last three years, Vanessa, 40, has memorialized the sports star and their daughter Gigi in several ways.

Newsweek has everything you need to know about how the philanthropist has celebrated the lives of her husband and child.

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How Vanessa Bryant has memorialized Kobe and daughter Gianna (2)

How Vanessa Bryant Has Memorialized Kobe and Daughter Gianna

Hall of Fame

Kobe was inducted posthumously into The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 15, 2021, after the ceremony was delayed by almost nine months, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vanessa accepted the award on her late husband's behalf and spoke about both Kobe and Gigi in her speech.

How Vanessa Bryant has memorialized Kobe and daughter Gianna (3)

"I wish my husband was here to accept this incredible award. He and Gigi deserve to be here to witness this," Vanessa told the audience at the induction ceremony, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

"Gigi would be so proud to watch her daddy get enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame. I know he was really looking forward to being here. He didn't really talk about upcoming awards, but he did mention this one a week before he and Gigi passed," she added.

Nonprofit Foundation

The Mamba Sports Foundation was a charity launched by Kobe in 2016 after his retirement from basketball, with the name being a nod to his nickname, the Black Mamba.

The organisation provides funding and sports programming for young athletes in underserved communities, as is stated in its mission on its official website.

The charity was renamed in 2020 after Kobe and Gigi's deaths and is now called the Mamba & Mambacita Foundation.

How Vanessa Bryant has memorialized Kobe and daughter Gianna (4)

Mambacita was Kobe's nickname for Gigi, who was also a keen basketball player.

In August 2022, Vanessa revealed her plans to donate the $16 million damages she won in her suit against Los Angeles County to the Mamba & Mambacita Foundation.

In September 2020, Vanessa had filed a federal lawsuit against the Los Angeles sheriff's and fire departments for taking, and sharing, photos of the scene of the crash that killed her husband and daughter.

Nine jurors unanimously agreed that the photos of the crash invaded her privacy and caused emotional distress.

Mambacita Clothing Line

In May 2021, Vanessa launched the Mambacita clothing line in honor of her late daughter Gigi.

The fashion venture was launched on May 1, 2021, which would have been Gigi's 15th birthday, and the first release featured sweatshirts, sweatpants, and face masks feature a "No. 2" design, a reference to Gigi's basketball jersey number.

All of the proceeds from the clothing line go to the Mamba & Mambacita Foundation.

How Vanessa Bryant has memorialized Kobe and daughter Gianna (5)

"Today is my Baby's Birthday," Vanessa wrote on Instagram at the time. "When I thought about how best to celebrate Gianna's birthday with so many who loved her, I knew it had to be a combination of sharing her bright and fun personality with her sense of purpose and passion that would help make a difference in this world."

Nike Tribute

In May 2022, Vanessa Bryant narrated a tribute video to her daughter, on what would have been Gigi's 16th birthday.

The 60-second video is modeled after Kobe's own, Oscar-winning animated 2017 film Dear Basketball.

"From the first time you imagined winning a WNBA Championship, I knew one thing was real. You were special," Vanessa says in the video, which was released in partnership with Nike.

"You came from greatness, but it was never about what you inherited. It was about what you gave to others. When someone stands up for gender equality, I see you fighting alongside of them."

It was never about what she got from basketball. It was always about what she gave back. Gigi gave inspiration to her teammates, her mentors, and the next generation. #PlayGigisWay #mambamambacitasports pic.twitter.com/u7R3EnknqP

— Nike (@Nike) May 1, 2022

Kobe Bryant Day

August 24 is now celebrated as Kobe Bryant Day, also called Mamba Day, in Los Angeles. The date represents his jersey numbers, 8 and 24, and is the day after the basketball legend's birthday.

Uncommon Knowledge

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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How Vanessa Bryant has memorialized Kobe and daughter Gianna (2024)

FAQs

How Vanessa Bryant has memorialized Kobe and daughter Gianna? ›

In May 2022, Vanessa Bryant narrated a tribute video to her daughter, on what would have been Gigi's 16th birthday. The 60-second video is modeled after Kobe's own, Oscar-winning animated 2017 film Dear Basketball. "From the first time you imagined winning a WNBA Championship, I knew one thing was real.

How did Vanessa Bryant find out Kobe had died? ›

The morning of the accident, a family assistant came to the Bryant house around 11:30 a.m. to inform Vanessa of the crash. She was told that five people survived the accident and assumed Gianna and Kobe to be among them. However, around the same time, TMZ broke the news of Kobe and Gianna's deaths online.

How old was Gianna Kobe when she died? ›

Gianna died alongside her father in a helicopter crash in 2020 when she was 13 years old.

Why didn't Kobe's parents accept Vanessa? ›

Allegedly, Kobe didn't enjoy a good relationship with his parents, especially when he dated and married Vanessa. Joe and Pamela didn't agree with their relationship because Vanessa was from the Latina community and not the African American community that Kobe was from.

What did Vanessa say about Kobe? ›

Vanessa Bryant concluded her speech by quoting something her late husband once said: "'Leave the game better than you found it, and when it comes time for you to leave, leave a legend,'" she said. "And that he did," she added.

How did Kobe pass away? ›

Kobe Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles on Jan. 26, 2020. His daughter Gianna and seven other people also died. At his posthumous Hall of Fame enshrinement, his wife, Vanessa Bryant, shouted out her in-laws.

Where is Kobe buried? ›

How old was Kobe when he retired? ›

Kobe retired on April 13, 2016, at the age of 37 and scoring 60 points against the Utah Jazz, in a game he came from behind and won by himself.

What is Kobe Bryant's wife now? ›

Why did Kobe's parents disown him? ›

They initially fell out because Pamela and Joe didn't approve of his relationship with future wife Vanessa.

What did Kobe Bryant's mom do? ›

Who was Vanessa Bryant before marriage? ›

How much did Kobe leave Vanessa? ›

How much money did Kobe Bryant leave Vanessa Bryant? It is said that he left an amount of 29 million to Vanessa and the family.

Why did Kobe wear a black mask? ›

but does anyone know why exactly it's banned? in 2012, Kobe Bryant wore a black mask due to a nasal fracture. he tried out the clear ones. but didn't like it since it would get too foggy for him. it became an iconic look.

What did Kobe buy Vanessa? ›

He wanted to apologize for what he did back then through the gift. According to the New York Post, People Magazine, Bryant bought his wife Vanessa a $4 million diamond ring that contains eight carats of purple diamonds.

How was Kobe when he met Vanessa? ›

“For those that don't know, yes, I had a budding music career as a rapper,” Kobe recalled in Kobe Bryant's Muse. “It didn't last long, but I did make a video. On the video set is where I first met Vanessa.” Kobe, who was 21 at the time, was immediately smitten with Vanessa, he revealed in the documentary.

Who was Christina Mauser? ›

At the time of the disaster, the nine people on board were headed to a basketball game at Kobe's Mamba Sports Academy in Newbury Park, where the Lakers legend was scheduled to coach Gianna's team. Christina Mauser, a mother of three, was an assistant basketball coach at the academy.

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