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Vanessa Bryant wrote a heartfelt tribute to her late daughter Gianna Bryant on what would’ve been her 15th birthday. The 38-year-old former model shared a moving post to Instagram on Saturday, May 1, alongside a sweet photo of them embracing. “Dear Gianna, Happy 15th Birthday! ❤️😘I love you!“ she began in the caption. “I miss you everyday! I wish you were here with us. There are no words to express how much I miss you. I love you Mamacita!”
Vanessa reposted the photo to her Instagram Story, writing on top of it: “Mommy, Daddy, Nani, B.B. and Koko love you and miss you so much!” She also noted that this would’ve been her daughter’s “Quincenera,” which has cultural roots in Mexico.
Later in the day, the mom-of-four shared a lengthier tribute to her “Gigi.” Alongside a professional photo of her with daughters Natalia, 18, Bianka, four, and Capri, one, Vanessa wrote: “Today is my Baby’s Birthday. When I thought about how best to celebrate Gianna’s birthday with so many who loved her, I knew it had to be a combination of sharing her bright and fun personality with her sense of purpose and passion that would help make a difference in this world. Gianna was kind, energetic, a leader, and had so much MAMBACITA swag.”
From this post, Vanessa went on to discuss the new apparel line she collaborated on with DANNIJO, in honor of Gigi. The limited-edition MAMBACITA x DANNIJO tie-dye sweat set capsule collection , “celebrates Gigi’s spirit in every little detail – even the placement of #PlayGigisWay on the right arm of each hoodie-- her shooting arm 🏀.”
“But what Gigi would love most about the Collection is that 100% of the proceeds will support the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, which is dedicated to creating positive impact for underserved athletes and young women in sports,” Vanessa added. “Gigi was especially motivated to change the way everyone viewed women in sports, and it’s fitting that this capsule represents her values.”
Gigi, who tragically passed away in a helicopter accident with her father and other passengers, was honored by countless famous friends and fans. Khloe Kardashian, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner were among those to pay tribute on Instagram Stories.
Vanessa reposted as many homages as she could that day. See some of the beautiful tributes from the IG grid below:
Natalia Bryant
Ciara
LaLa Anthony
Viola Davis
Kate Hudson
Yara Shahidi
The Lakers