Vanessa Bryant and La La Anthony celebrated the holidays together in New York at Rockefeller Center’s skating rink in with their children and it looks like they had a very special time. Both women have shared photos from the trip on social media and Vanessa described it as a “Christmas tradition” as she encouraged others to find a friend “that loves you and is down for all of your crazy ideas.”
Vanessa brought her and the late Kobe Bryant’s girls, Natalia, 18, Bianka, 5, and Capri, 2. La La’s 14-year-old son Kiyan whom she shares with Carmelo Anthony was also along for the Christmas tradition. The host filed for divorce this year in June and she shared a gallery of photos from the outing with a heartfelt caption that said it reminded her of “what the holidays are supposed to feel like.” “We had the best day we laughed until our stomachs hurt and definitely reflected on so many things to be grateful for,” she wrote.
La La and Vanessa became close friends as they supported their basketball boo’s on the court. “I’ve been a part of their lives from before they were even thought of, so just to continue to be a part of their journey is amazing,” La La told Entertainment Tonight. “And to be ‘Auntie La La,’ and to always be there for them no matter what is an amazing thing and responsibility that I don’t take lightly. That’s my family, and that’s what it’s always gonna be. I’m always [going to have] their best interests at heart no matter what.”
Following the deaths of Kobe, and Gianna, they grew even closer and Lala was there when things got hard. She told ET Vanessa was the “strongest woman” as she opened up about their friendship. “So, just to be a friend and be there to make her laugh when she needs to, cry when she needs to, is a beautiful thing,” she said. “But that‘s what friends do for each other, you know, so I’m always going to be there for her and the girls and just, you know, want to see her just continue to be strong and amazing.”