Kobe Bryant’s wife has shared a heartbreaking tribute to the NBA legend and their teenage daughter after they were killed in a helicopter crash.
The former LA Lakers star and 13-year-old Gianna were among nine people who died when the aircraft came down in California on Sunday.
Three days after the crash, Vanessa Bryant broke her silence as she posted a family photo on Instagram alongside a touching tribute to her husband and daughter.
She said she has been left "completely devastated" by their deaths, adding: “There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now.”
“I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives.
“I wish they were here with us forever.”
Mrs Bryant said she and the couple's other daughters, Natalia, 17, Bianka, three, and Capri, seven months, were thankful for the "millions of people who've shown support and love during this horrific time".
Gianna Bryant was a member of the Mamba team due to compete on the day of the fatal crash.
Her father, who retired from the National Basketball Association in 2016 after 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, was the coach of his daughter's team.
The pilot and six more passengers were also killed - two other 13-year-old girls involved in the tournament, three of their parents and another coach.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Kobe Bryant 1978-2020 | In pictures
The death of Bryant, 41, an 18-time NBA all-star, five-time Lakers champion and one of the world's most admired sports figures, unleashed an outpouring of grief and tributes from fans, fellow athletes and politicians around the globe.
Read More
"My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who've shown support and love during this horrific time," Mrs Bryant, 37, a former model, wrote on her Instagram account.
"We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri," she added.
The message continued: "We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately. There aren't enough words to describe our pain right now.
"I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon."
MORE ABOUT