Vanessa Bryant Says Kobe’s Death ‘Still Doesn’t Seem Real’ on the 1-Year Anniversary of His Crash

One year later. Vanessa Bryant honored Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, on the one-year anniversary of fatal accident.

Vanessa—who is also a mom to daughters Natalie, 18, Bianka, 4, and Capri, 1—took to her Instagram on Tuesday, January 26, to honor her late husband and daughter (who is also called Gigi) on the one-year anniversary they were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, along with seven others. In her tribute, Vanessa revealed that she received a letter from Gigi’s best friend Aubrey, which honored her late daughter.

“Today I received this sweet letter from one of Gianna’s best friends, Aubrey. I love you Aubz (as my Gigi would call you),” Vanessa captioned the post, which included a screenshot of the letter. “Thank you so much for beautifully sharing some of your memories of my Gigi with me and allowing me to share them here on my ig. My Gigi is INCREDIBLE and I truly appreciate your thoughtful letter. She loves you so much. I miss my baby girl and Kob-Kob so much, too. ”

She continued, “I will never understand why/how this tragedy could’ve happened to such beautiful, kind and amazing human beings. It still doesn’t seem real. Kob, we did it right. Gigi, you still make mommy proud. I love you! #PlayGigisWay #Mambacita #Mamba #DaddysGirl #GirlDad.”

Source: Instagram

In the letter, Aubrey talked about how Gigi pushed her “to be better” and how she credits that trait of her late friend to Vanessa. “… If I ever become a mother, I hope my daughter turns out exactly as yours did,” Aubrey wrote. “[Gigi’s] love of life is something I admire endlessly … She would smile up the rest of the world.”

She continued later in the letter, “There are times I get into a pit of despair thinking about her and what she could’ve accomplished had she had a couple more years. But recently I have been thinking about the mark she did leave on this earth. Her fights for equality in sports made the world reconsider there opinions, she along with Mr. Bryant, set the wheels in motion.”

Aubrey ended her letter by telling Vanessa that she “did it right” when it came to raising Gigi. “I am so, so blessed I got to have time with your angel of a daughter, and thank you for giving me that chance,” she said, adding, “I love you and am thinking of you as we remember an honor her life,” she wrote.