TEAR-JERKING

Vanessa Bryant honors Gianna on what would have been her 20th birthday

Gianna would have been 20 years old today

UPDATED MAY 1, 2026 9:13 PM EDTMAY 1, 2026, 9:13 PM EDT

Vanessa Bryant suffered an unimaginable loss when her husband, Kobe Bryant, and daughter, Gianna Bryant, died in a tragic helicopter accident in 2020. Gianna was only 13 at the time of the crash. Over six years later, the young athlete would have been celebrating her 20th birthday.

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Birthdays and anniversaries are tough reminders when it comes to loss, and on May 1st, Vanessa shared a photo with her daughter on Instagram with a short but emotional caption. "Happy birthday to my sweet baby angel, Gianna. Words can't express how much I love and miss you mamacita," Vanessa wrote. "Mommy loves you so much! #HappyBirthday #20.”

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In the picture, they are in front of flowers with Vanessa rocking some bright pink hair. The mother and daughter shared a sweet kiss in the tear-jerking image.

Kobe and Vanessa’s oldest daughter, Natalia, was in the comments with heart emojis. She shared her own dedications, posting two photos on her Instagram story, writing, "Happy Birthday Gigi," with a red heart emoji.

It's undoubtedly a hard day for the family

In honor of Gianna, the Vanessa and the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation also announced they were going to be awarding 20 scholarships to student athletes in California. "In Gigi's honor, we are proud to announce the 2026 Class of Gianna Bryant Scholars — 20 exceptional student-athletes from Los Angeles and Orange County, administered in partnership with the California Community Foundation and local Boys & Girls Club affiliates," the foundation wrote on Instagram.

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Since their passing, 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

Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant at the U.S. Women's National soccer team game vs. China at Qualcomm Stadium on April 10, 2014

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.