Vanessa Bryant
Huntington Beach, California
Widowed
May 5, 1982
AboutVanessa Bryant married Kobe Bryant in April 2001 after the pair met on the set of Snoop Dogg‘s “The Eastsidaz” video two years prior. The former model was still a senior at Marina High School at the time, and left her studies when she and the late athlete began dating. She later continued her education in homeschool.
Vanessa and Kobe welcomed four daughters throughout their nearly 20-year marriage: Natalia in 2003, Gianna in 2006, Bianka in 2016 and Capri in 2019. The California native suffered a miscarriage in between her eldest two daughters’ births due to an ectopic pregnancy.
Though she and the former Los Angeles Lakers star remained happily married, Vanessa filed for divorce in 2011 citing irreconcilable differences. Two years later, she called off their breakup and confirmed via Instagram at the time that the couple was looking forward to their futures together.
In January 2020, Vanessa experienced the loss of her husband and her second oldest daughter, Gianna, after a devastating helicopter accident. The aircraft was on its way to Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California, ahead of a big game. Seven other passengers lost their lives in the crash.
Vanessa and her remaining three daughters honored their fallen family members at a public memorial at the Los Angeles Staples Center one month later.
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