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Vanessa Bryant Speaks Out for First Time Since Kobe and Gianna's Deaths in Emotional Instagram Post

By Mark Powell

Vanessa Bryant speaks out on Kobe and Gianna's deaths
Vanessa Bryant speaks out on Kobe and Gianna's deaths /

There is no correct or wrong way to speak out after the death of a loved one. In Vanessa Bryant's case, she has the weight of her family and the basketball world on her shoulders.

Kobe Bryant's widow spoke out for the first time since the death of her husband and daughter, Gianna, in a tragic helicopter accident this past Sunday. Vanessa has proven to be stronger than any of us could imagine, and her post reflects just that, as well as the pain she and her family are going through right now.

View this post on Instagram

My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time. Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them. We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri. We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately. There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon. I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them. But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless — and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever. Thank you for sharing your joy, your grief and your support with us. We ask that you grant us the respect and privacy we will need to navigate this new reality. To honor our Team Mamba family, the Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy. To donate, please go to MambaOnThree.org. To further Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports, please visit MambaSportsFoundation.org. Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and me. #Mamba #Mambacita #GirlsDad #DaddysGirls #Family ❤️

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant ? (@vanessabryant) on

The outpouring of support for Vanessa and her family has been admirable thus far, and doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon. She acknowledges this and more, while also providing a link to donate to the Mamba Sports Foundation, giving those who wish to give back an appropriate cause during this difficult time.

Kobe and Gianna were so loved, and the reaction of the sports community reflects that. As Vanessa's post pleads, we will of course grant them the privacy they need as they grieve.

As always, we wish the Bryant family the best.