'Just Warmed My Heart' Said Wife Of The Late Kobe Bryant As She Posts Touching Artwork Of Their Daughter

Feb 03, 2020 by apost team

Vanessa Bryant, the wife of the late basketball player Kobe Bryant, took to social media to post a beautiful artwork of her daughter Gianna dressed in her father’s number 24 Los Angeles Lakers jersey.

Gianna Bryant is portrayed with a beaming smile on her face and a basketball by her side. In it, she also wears a purple and gold jacket which pays tribute to her dad’s team in the NBA.

"Seeing my babygirl smile and happy again with a basketball 🏀 under her arm, wrapped in 💜💛love just warmed my heart," wrote her mom.

Vanessa ended the post with #Mambacita, a portmanteau of Kobe’s nickname Black Mamba and the Spanish word ‘Mamacita’. After her passing, ‘Mambacita’ was coined to refer to Gianna in her honor.

Vanessa had shared the post just a few hours after Kobe and Gianna were honored at the Lakers’ first game since the tragic crash which killed her husband and her 13-year-old daughter.

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The artwork was created by Reina Koyano, a designer and illustrator from Japan. In an Instagram post, Reina says that the artwork is not for sale. She is instead offering it as a free wallpaper in hopes that it “serves as reminders for all of us that life is precious, and the fact that we can wake up to a new day every day is truly a blessing.” Vanessa personally thanked Reina on her Instagram account. 

On coping with the incredible loss of both her husband and daughter, the 47-year-old revealed that she takes 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,” she wrote on Wednesday, speaking out for the first time following their passing.

Thousands of Kobe fans have left mementos and tributes at the Staples Center, some of which will be given to Vanessa and her family. Even more, people have taken to social media to express their devastation of losing a legendary sportsman and heartfelt condolences to the Bryant family.

The mother of three went on to announce that the Mamba Sports Foundation has set up a charity for the seven other victims of the helicopter accident. On the official website, the Mamba Sports Foundation writes that they are determined to carry on Kobe and Gianna Bryant's legacy of creating leaders, opportunities and skills through sports.

Art can be used as an amazing way to pay tribute to a person. What do you think of the artwork?