Yahoo Sports Vanessa Bryant remembers Kobe on Valentine's Day: 'Missing you so much on your favorite holiday'
Vanessa Bryant continues to mourn the loss of Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. On Friday, Kobe's wife shared an emotional tribute to her husband on Valentine's Day, calling the NBA legend her "forever Valentine."
"I love you so much," she captioned a photo of herself sitting on Kobe's lap. "Missing you so much on your favorite holiday."
The photo is set to Lauryn Hill's "Tell Him." Lyrics to the emotional song include, "Let me be patient let me be kind / Make me unselfish without being blind / Though I may suffer I'll envy it not / And endure what comes /'Cause he's all that I got and tell him / Tell him I need him / Tell him I love him / And it'll be alright..."
Kobe, Gigi and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in Calabasas, Calif. He was 41. He's survived by Vanessa and their three other daughters: Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months. Vanessa announced Thursday Kobe's Mamba Sports Foundation will now be known as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. Gigi's nickname was "mambacita."
Vanessa has been open with fans about her unimaginable grief.
"My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone," she wrote on Instagram earlier this week. "I can’t process both at the same time. It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. It feels wrong. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?!"
She continued, "I’m so mad. She had so much life to live. Then I realize I need to be strong and be here for my 3 daughters. Mad I’m not with Kobe and Gigi but thankful I’m here with Natalia, Bianka and Capri. I know what I’m feeling is normal. It’s part of the grieving process. I just wanted to share in case there’s anyone out there that’s experienced a loss like this. God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all."
Kobe and Gigi were laid to rest in a private ceremony last week. A public memorial is planned for Monday, Feb. 24. The date — 2/24/2020 — is significant for a number of reasons. Kobe wore No. 24 throughout the second half of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers while Gigi wore No. 2 for Team Mamba. Kobe and Vanessa met 20 years ago.
Vanessa Bryant remembers Kobe Bryant in heartfelt Instagram post:
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Justin Timberlake, Demi Moore, Lady Gaga and more celebs post Valentine's Day tributes
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls being a guest judge on 'RuPaul's Drag Race' a 'peak experience'
Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle's newsletter.
