Vanessa Bryant Shares Heartbreaking Posts On Daughter Gianna’s Jersey Retirement

Vanessa Bryant shared a series of heartbreaking images and videos featuring the jersey retirement of her late daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant.

On Wednesday, the 37-year-old wrote on Instagram alongside a photo taken in Gianna’s school’s gymnasium: “My Gianna. God I miss you. I’ve been so lucky to have woken up to see your gorgeous face and amazing smile for 13 years. Wish it would’ve been until my last breath. Mommy loves you to the moon and back. Infinity plus 1. #2 #Mambacita #GigiBryant.”

That post was followed shortly thereafter by more images and videos from the inside of Harbor Day School in Newport Beach, California, as students and teachers honored their former classmate and student.

One video showed basketball coach Joshua Parks saying Gianna “definitely represented the ‘Mamba Mentality’ every time she stepped on the floor.” Former adviser and music teacher Yunga Webb described Gianna as “one of the most humble people I’ve ever known.”

A classmate of Gianna’s described her as someone who “always showed up with a smile and motivated us to do more.”

“She pushed us to take action. She took projects into her own hands and was a team player like every leader should be,” said the classmate. “She displayed her leadership by not talking over people and taking other people’s ideas and making them real.” 

Gianna’s teammates also paid tribute to her with a rendition of the Maroon 5 song “Memories.”

Bryant also shared an image of Gianna’s framed jersey, with a caption saying her daughter has “taught us all that no act of kindness is ever too small.”

“Mommy is still and will ALWAYS be so proud of you mamacita,” she wrote.

Gianna and her father, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, last month alongside seven other people.

Bryant, who has been vocal on social media since the crash, posted emotional videos and images of her husband earlier this week. In the caption of one snapshot of the basketball star smiling, she called him her best friend and wrote that she missed him saying “Bonjourno principessa/reina.”