Vanessa Bryant shares poignant post for 23rd wedding anniversary with Kobe Bryant

The NBA player passed away on 26 January 2020

Vanessa Bryant has paid homage to her marriage in a heartwarming Instagram post.

The 41-year-old mother honoured her and Kobe Bryant’s 23rd wedding anniversary with a photo collage of the two of them. “Happy anniversary @kobebryant #23,” she said.

In the sweet images, Vanessa and Kobe are seen playfully kissing and posing. The model is wearing a bedazzled long sleeve dress, while the former NBA player is donning a classic achromatic suit.

Friends and fans filled the social media post with kind messages and heart emoticons.

“Vaness these are beautiful,” one viewer wrote, while another said: “Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing these heartfelt moments with us all.”

Natalia Bryant, Vanessa and Kobe’s 21-year-old daughter, sent three red hearts, indicating her love for them.

On 26 January 2020, the basketball star tragically passed away in a helicopter crash that took nine other lives as well, including his daughter Gianna’s. The aircraft was flying around Calabasas, California, when it crashed into a hillside.

This year, on the anniversary of her husband and daughter’s deaths, Vanessa published a photo of Kobe sitting courtside with his arm around Gianna.

Vanessa and Kobe also shared daughters, Bianka, eight, and Capri, four.

The philanthropist was joined by her three children on 8 February for the unveiling of a 19-foot bronze statue of Kobe at the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Denver Nuggets. In her Instagram post to commemorate the night, Vanessa repeated one of Kobe’s famous sayings.

“LEAVE THE GAME BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT AND WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE, LEAVE A LEGEND,” her caption read. The picture featured Vanessa, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri standing in front of the new monument.

A friend of Vanessa’s commented: “We miss him so much! So happy for the three statues LA gets to have! Forever a legend! Sending my loveeee!”

“YES forever a legend️ love you all so much,” a second added.