Lakers News: Vanessa Bryant Reveals Birthday Gift Given To Her From Kobe Bryant Before Death

Ron Gutterman
3 Min Read
Dan MacMedan-USA TODAY NETWORK

It has now been over three months since Kobe Bryant tragically passed away on Jan. 26, along with his daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others in a helicopter acciden. In that time, Los Angeles Lakers fans and those in the sports world have witnessed the incredible strength of Vanessa Bryant, who had to deal with the loss of her husband and child on the same day.

Vanessa has been fairly active on Instagram in the months since her husband’s death, sharing milestones in their lives and what it would have meant if her husband and daughter were there. She also spoke at “A Celebration of Life,” giving an over 20-minute eulogy that was equally painful and beautiful.

Vanessa’s birthday was on May 5, and she took to Instagram to reveal that she had an unopened letter left to her from her late husband, and wanted to open it for her birthday:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0AJnUj3FM/

It must be an absolutely surreal feeling to have an unopened letter from someone who has been gone for over three months. However, it seems perfectly in line with Kobe’s personality to leave something for his wife in a way that’s seemingly impossible.

On the cover of the letter from Kobe to his wife, there was a photo of her being held up by an angel, something she described as irony in the Instagram post.

While Vanessa’s Instagram posts in the months since her husband and daughter passed away have all had a somber tone, there is also a sense of hope in them. It’s another testament to the incredible strength that Vanessa has shown each and every day since Jan. 26, giving the fans something to cherish when she has absolutely zero obligation to do so.

Kobe has always been known for his Mamba Mentality, a phrase that means strength and power regardless of the obstacles he faced. However, if the time since Jan. 26 has taught us anything, it’s that his wife was the one with the Mamba Mentality.

Ron Gutterman is a Washington State University alum from Anaheim, California, and is currently a Staff Writer for LakersNation.com, RamsNewsWire.com, and RaidersNewsWire.com. He is also the lead editor for AngelsNation.com. With Lakers Nation, Rams News Wire, Raiders News Wire, and Angels Nation, Ron assists in news, game coverage, analysis, and hot takes via his Twitter account, @rongutterman24. Without a doubt, Ron's favorite Laker, and favorite athlete of all time, is Kobe Bryant. Ron began watching basketball when he was 6 years old, in 2005, when Bryant was dragging the likes of Smush Parker and Ronny Turiaf to playoff spots. Ron's all time favorite Lakers moment was Bryant's final game when he dropped 60 points. While the Lakers beating the Celtics in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, as Metta World Peace hit the game clinching three, will always be a top option, Bryant's final night takes the cake. Contact: ron@mediumlargela.com