Five years after the tragic death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his widow, Vanessa Bryant continues to honor his memory while raising their three daughters. Recently, rumors began circulating online suggesting that Vanessa might be pregnant after some photos of her in loose-fitting outfits went viral. Some media linked her to basketball player, Jaylen Brown.
However, Vanessa handled the speculation in a classy way, much like Rihanna. She shared her memes without addressing the gossip directly, hinting that she didn’t like the unwanted drama. Amid this, let’s take a look at how she built and saved her family with Kobe Bryant.
Kobe Bryant fell in love with Vanessa at first sight
The love story of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant began in 1999. They first met in November 1999 on the set of a music video, where Vanessa was a 17-year-old backup dancer and Kobe, 20, was a rising star in the NBA. They immediately developed a connection, and after just six months of dating, they got engaged. Kobe and Vanessa tied the knot in a private ceremony on April 18, 2001, at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. The wedding was intimate, attended by only 12 guests. As per a report by The Knot, Kobe’s parents were absent due to initial disapproval of Vanessa. Recalling the meeting, Kobe once told MTV News:
“I mean, love is a funny thing. I can’t explain it, and I don’t understand it. But all I know is…she caught my heart and I just knew she was the one.”
During their marriage, Kobe and Vanessa welcomed four daughters, Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, and Capri. But cracks soon appeared as Kobe was accused of s***al misconduct in 2003. Also, they dealt with a miscarriage. Although she initially supported him in a public moment and he bought her an expensive purple diamond ring, things couldn’t last long. After trying hard to save the bond, Vanessa filed for divorce in 2011. She cited irreconcilable differences as the reason and claimed her husband had been unfaithful.
Kobe Bryant and Vanessa had a reunion inspired by The Notebook
After filing for separation, where Vanessa was set to get a big part of Kobe’s assets, she chose love. The couple reconciled in early 2013, and their divorce proceedings were dismissed. Later, Kobe bought Vanessa the iconic blue dress from The Notebook movie to celebrate their reconciliation. For those unaware, it was the same dress ‘Allie’ (Rachel McAdams) got back with ‘Noah’ (Ryan Gosling). Sharing the news on his Facebook page, Kobe penned:
“I am happy to say that Vanessa and I are moving on with our lives together as a family. When the show ends and the music stops, the journey is made beautiful by having someone to share it with. Thank you all for your support and prayers! Much love, Mamba out.”
Vanessa Bryant paid a heartfelt tribute to Kobe after his demise
After Kobe’s tragic death in January 2020, Vanessa has remained upfront in honoring her late husband and their daughter, Gianna, who lost their lives in a plane crash. She relaunched his The Kobe Bryant Sports Foundation as The Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. Also, she was awarded USD 16 million in August 2022 for a lawsuit related to the crash. Now, Vanessa continues to support her daughters’ lives with love and dedication. In a touching tribute after his death, she said:
“God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other…Babe, you take care of our Gigi, and I got Nani, BB, and Koko. We’re still the best team.”
What do you think about Vanessa Bryant’s style of clapping back at the fake rumours against her? Let us know.
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