Today (August 23), Kobe Bryant should be celebrating his 42nd birthday with his family.
While the world remembers the Black Mamba, his family has taken the day to not only pay homage to the Hall of Fame basketball player, but also as a husband and father as well.
His widow, Vanessa Bryant shared a personal, and heartbreaking message on Instagram remembering her husband and daughter Gigi while continuing to question why they were taken away from his family, and the world so early on January 26.
“Our lives feel so empty without you and Gigi,” she wrote. “I’ve been completely broken inside. As much as I want to cry, I put a smile on my face to make our daughters’ days shine a little brighter. I’m not the strong one, they are.”
Beautiful, heartbreaking words from Vanessa Bryant on Kobe’s birthday.
Wrapping her and their daughters in so much love and prayer. 💛💜 pic.twitter.com/NSGLCRUXZN— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) August 23, 2020
Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and seven others were killed in a tragic helicopter crash in Los Angeles as they traveled to the Black Mamba’s daughter’s basketball game.
Orange County has declared August 24, Kobe Bryant day. August being the eighth month of the year, and 24 being the day, both represent the two numbers the legendary Lakers star wore during his career (8, 24).