Vanessa Bryant Honors Late Husband Kobe With Touching Post on Their 23rd Anniversary

Vanessa Bryant marked what would have been her 23rd wedding anniversary with her late husband, Kobe Bryant, in a heartfelt Instagram post.

On April 18, she shared a collage of four images capturing a memorable date night with Kobe, where he was clad in a suit and tie, and she dazzled in a sparkly gold dress. The photos showed the couple sharing smiles, a dance, and kisses. Vanessa, 41, captioned the tender moments, "Happy Anniversary @kobebryant ❤️ #23," and paired it with the song "Anniversary" by Tony! Toni! Toné! via an Instagram Story, accompanied by a wedding ring gif.

The post quickly filled with love from friends and family. Their daughter Natalia added three red hearts, while celebrities like singer Ciara, actress Jessica Alba, basketball star JuJu Watkins, and former soccer player Carli Lloyd left heart emojis in the comments.

Vanessa and Kobe's love story began in 1999 on a music video set when he was 20 and she just 17. Their romance blossomed rapidly after a first date at Disneyland, leading Kobe to propose as soon as Vanessa turned 18. They wed on April 18, 2001.

The NBA star was tragically killed in a helicopter accident alongside his daughter, Gianna, in January of 2020. The devastating crash also claimed the lives of seven other passengers, who were en route to a youth basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, where Kobe was set to coach and his daughter was scheduled to play. Kobe was 41-years-old when he died.

The anniversary comes shortly after a family trip to Disneyland during Easter, harking back to Vanessa and Kobe's first date. Vanessa shared snapshots of the outing with daughters Natalia, 21, Bianka Belle, 7, and Capri Kobe, 4, capturing their joy in "the Happiest Place on Earth."

In February 2024, Vanessa participated in a ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena, unveiling the first of three planned statues in honor of Kobe. Vanessa said in her speech, "Since arriving in this city and joining the Lakers organization, [Kobe] felt at home here, playing in the City of Angels. On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that, right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as the house that Kobe built, we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever."

She revealed that subsequent statues would feature Kobe in his No. 8 jersey and alongside their late daughter Gianna, honoring Kobe's legacy alongside Laker legends like Elgin Baylor and Shaquille O'Neal.