Vanessa, the wife of Kobe Bryant, has broken her silence following the death of her husband their daughter, Gianna, saying she and her three daughters are “completely devastated” by the sudden loss of the duo.
Bryant and Gianna were killed alongside seven others in a helicopter crash in the Calabasas area of California on Sunday.
In a post accompanied by a family photograph on Instagram on Thursday, Vanessa said she and her three daughters lack enough words to describe their pain and those of the other families who lost loved ones in the crash.
“We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.
“We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately.
There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now,” the post read.
She added: “I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.”
Bryant’s widow admitted that the family is not sure of how their life will pan out, but noted that they take comfort that her late husband and daughter were deeply loved.
While thanking the “millions of people who’ve shown their support and love”, Vanessa requested for respect and privacy to help her family grieve during this difficult period.
She also announced the formation of a fund to help support the other families that were affected by the crash, the Mamba Sports Foundation.
The other victims included the pilot, two other 13-year-old girls involved in the tournament, three of their parents and another coach.
Bryant was a five-time NBA champion for his only team, the Los Angeles Lakers, and a double Olympic gold medallist. After a 20-year career with the team, he retired in April 2016.