Vanessa Bryant changes Instagram photo to Kobe and Gianna
Vanessa Bryant changed her Instagram profile photo to an image of her late husband Kobe and late daughter Gianna on Wednesday, just days after the pair died in a helicopter crash. The basketball legend’s widow has not posted on social media since their unexpected deaths Sunday.
The photo shows Kobe and Gianna embracing while he was warming up during the 2016 NBA All-Star Game in Ontario, Canada. Her Instagram account, which was previously private, was also made public Wednesday.
The Bryant family members and seven others were killed Sunday when a helicopter crashed into a hillside in dense fog in Calabasas, California. The helicopter was flying in foggy conditions considered dangerous enough that local police agencies grounded their choppers.
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The other victims included a highly-regarded baseball coach and three young athletes.
Gianna, known as Gigi, inherited her father’s passion for basketball. They were on their way to a tournament for the youth league where Bryant coached Gigi’s team when the helicopter went down.
Bryant, known as a fierce competitor during his storied 20-year NBA career, told late night host Jimmy Kimmel in 2018 that Gigi, his second-oldest of four daughters, wanted to play in the WNBA. Gigi also had dreams of playing for the University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball team.
Bryant’s sudden death at age 41 touched off an outpouring of grief for a star whose celebrity transcended basketball. Bryant is survived by Vanessa and their three daughters, Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, who was born last June.
Chris Brito contributed to this report.
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