Wednesday (Mar. 15) was a monumental day for Vanessa Bryant and her daughters. The wife of the late Kobe Bryant watched as his handprints went on permanent display at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. Kobe and Vanessa’s oldest daughter, Natalia Bryant, had words at the ceremony.
“I’m honored to be here today to recognize the man that we all knew and love my dad, Kobe Bryant,” Natalia shared. “Being his daughter is one of the greatest joys of my life, and I hope to continue to embody and cherish the many lessons he has taught me,” the young adult said. “This day symbolizes the impact that he has had on a city that he loved and cared for so deeply,” Natalia told attendees.
It has been three years since Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash. The legendary NBA player’s second-eldest daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, also passed away in the accident.
Vanessa Bryant held a memorial on February 24, 2020, which gave the city of Los Angeles an opportunity to collectively mourn the loss of Kobe and Gianna. Still, many have struggled to grapple with the reality of Kobe’s death.
“Dad, you’re an icon, a legend, the storyteller, and most importantly, the best girl dad any young woman could ever dream of,” Natalia said during her speech at the Chinese Theatre on Wednesday.
“I’m honored to be here to represent you and our family, and we are extremely proud of you,” the young adult continued. “We will love you forever and always. Love, Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, Capri and Mommy.”
Vanessa Bryant took to Instagram after Wednesday’s ceremony to praise Natalia for her speech. “I know how hard it is to do what you did today,” Vanessa wrote to her daughter. “We are so proud of you,” the celebrity mom said.
Vanessa Bryant has four kids – Natalia, Capri, Bianka, and Gianna – with her late husband. Natalia celebrated her twentieth birthday in January.
Photo: Getty Images
