Vanessa Bryant Posts Sweet Birthday Tribute To Daughter Natalia
By Peyton Blakemore
January 19, 2021
Vanessa Bryant showered her daughter Natalia Bryant with love in honor of the teen's 18th birthday.
On Tuesday (January 19), the proud mom posted multiple photos of her firstborn child to Instagram as well as a few throwback shots that showed Natalia alongside her late father Kobe Bryant.
"Dear Natalia, Happy Birthday! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of the young lady that you are," Vanessa captioned one of the posts. "You have displayed so much strength and grace throughout the most difficult year of our lives. Thank you for stepping in to help me with your little sisters. You’re such an incredible big sister and a beautiful role model to so many people."
V added, "Thank you for being kind, polite and gracious in everything that you do. You have no idea how happy and proud mommy and daddy are that you’re our daughter. We love you always and forever, forever and always. Happy 18th birthday to our first born, Natalia, our principessa! Love always, Mommy, Daddy, Gigi, BB and Koko❤️."
In one of the throwback photos, a young Natalia is shown sitting on her dad's lap while alongside her mom as the three sat on the Lakers' court.
A second photo showed a smiling Kobe holding his then-toddler Natalia. "Daddy’s little princess, Natalia. ❤️🎉🎂🎉#18 #BirthdayGirl," Vanessa captioned the shot.
Natalia’s 18th birthday comes one week before the one-year anniversary of the deaths of her dad Kobe and her sister Gianna, who were killed, along with seven others, in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.
In preparation of the first anniversary since their passing, Vanessa issued a message to the media last week, asking that the outlets “please be considerate when airing or posting remembrance footage."
“We ask that you do not air photos of the wreckage, helicopter in the air or accident scene. We do NOT want to see it,” she wrote on Instagram. “Our year has been traumatic enough. You have thousands of photos and videos you can show besides footage of 1/26/20. We hope videos of remembrance are done in a classy and tasteful manner that is respectful of all our losses. Thank you.”
Photo: Getty Images