Forever in her heart. Vanessa Bryant shared an emotional post in honor of her late husband, Kobe Bryant, on her first Valentine’s Day without him by her side.
The former model, 37, took to Instagram to remember the love of her life, who passed away alongside their daughter Gianna in January. Nearly one month after the retired NBA player and his 13-year-old daughter fell victim to a tragic helicopter wreck, Vanessa remembered both of their spirits by posting Lauryn Hill‘s “Tell Him” on Instagram.
“To my forever Valentine, I love you so much,” she wrote on Friday, February 14 alongside a photo of herself sitting on the late athlete’s lap. “Missing you so much on your favorite holiday. Te amp per sempre. Kisses to you and Gigi in heaven. Happy Valentine’s Day, my babies. With all my love, your boo-boo.”
In the wake of her family’s huge loss, Vanessa has been leaning on her mother for support with her three other daughters, Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months. A source told Us Weekly exclusively on Wednesday, February 12, that the widow has been “in denial” as she continues to grieve.
“Her mom has been her rock throughout the past few weeks,” the source explained. “Her mom is always with her and the girls and she’s been keeping Vanessa strong and she’s the weight of her support system.”
A few days earlier, Vanessa spoke candidly about the challenges of adjusting to life without her husband and their daughter.
“I’ve been reluctant to put my feelings into words. My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone,” she wrote via Instagram on Monday, February 10. “I can’t process both at the same time. It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. It feels wrong. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live.”
Vanessa acknowledged that her complex feelings were “part of the grieving process,” but said she was determined to stay strong for the rest of her family.
“There is no other option, simply put,” a source told Us. “Vanessa takes solace in the support of her mom and her sister [Sophie Laine], who are committed to seeing her through this. But at the end of the day, there aren’t words to describe her feelings.”
