It’s been over five years since the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others on January 26, 2020. Anyone who has dealt with grief knows that birthdays and anniversaries are tough, and today, May 1, would have been Gianna's 19th birthday.
Matriarch Vanessa Bryant, who had to receive the news that both her husband and daughter died, has been through a nightmare situation but has always remained strong, sharing glimpses of her journey through grief with her fans.
Vanessa marked Gianna's day with a touching tribute on Instagram, sharing a photo of her in her black Mamba basketball uniform, writing: "Happy birthday, Gigi! Mommy loves and misses you more than I could ever express. I love you, Gianna," she wrote along with a red heart emoji and Taurus symbol.
Though Vanessa keeps comments limited on her posts, heartfelt messages still come through. Tina Knowles, Matt Barnes, Chris Paul, and others sent love, remembering Gigi and honoring her bright spirit.
Gianna was following in her father's footsteps as a basketball star and passed away on the way to do what she loved. The group was on their way to a youth basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California.
Baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and daughter Alyssa, basketball coach Christina Mauser, and Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton were among those who lost their lives along with the pilot, Ara Zobayan.
Since the unimaginable loss, Vanessa has dedicated herself to preserving Kobe and Gianna’s legacy. She renamed the sports foundation Kobe created in 2016, Mamba Sports Foundation, to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation to include Gianna's legacy and continue to provide support to underserved youth and advocate for equal opportunity for girls in sports
A happy ending to a recent vandalism
The father-daughter duo has been commemorated across the United States in hundreds of murals and public art projects. One of the first murals, titled "Mambas Forever,” is in DTLA, but it was unfortunately recently vandalized.
There was a GoFundMe to get it restored, but Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers’ new guard, made a $5k donation on Tuesday to cover the entire cost. “It was always important to give back to the community,” Doncic said after practice at the Lakers’ training complex, per AP. “They gave me so much, so I just want to give back.”