Vanessa Bryant shared a heartbreaking tribute to her daughter Gianna Bryant Friday on what would’ve been her “14th birthday.”
“Happy 14th Birthday to my sweet baby girl, Gianna,” Vanessa captioned her post on Instagram, along with a great picture of her daughter. The post was noted by the “Today” show. (RELATED: ESPN Releases Emotional Video Honoring Kobe Bryant After His Tragic Death)
Vanessa’s husband, legendary basketball star Kobe Bryant and their daughter were killed in fatal helicopter crash earlier this year. (RELATED: NBA Legend Kobe Bryant, 41, Killed In Helicopter Crash)
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“Mommy loves you more than I can ever show you,” Vanessa wrote. “You are part of MY SOUL forever. I miss you so much everyday.”
Bryant continued, while noting how much she wished she “could wake up and have” her daughter here with her.
“I miss your smile, your hugs and your giggles,” the basketball star’s wife shared. “I miss EVERYTHING about YOU, Gigi. I LOVE YOU so much!!!!!!!”
A short time later, she shared a second post encouraging people to wear red on Friday to “commemorate Gigi’s birthday,” using the hashtag “#PlayGigisWay.”
“Gianna loved to wear a red bow in all of her school pictures,” Bryant wrote. “Red means love and life. To commemorate Gigi’s birthday today, please consider wearing red, caption an act of kindness or show how you will play Gigi’s way since she always gave everything she did her all and led with kindness.”
She concluded her post by sharing a snap of a bracelet that read, “Gigi Bryant Mambacita,” and said the item would soon be available with proceeds going to “benefit our Mamba and Mambacita foundation.”
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