Vanessa Bryant has spoken out for the first time following the tragic death of her husband Kobe Bryant, 41, and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
Paying tribute to the LA Lakers sportsman and rising star Gigi, Vanessa penned a heart wrenching post on social media, just three days after they were among nine killed in a horror helicopter crash.
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Kobe's widow said she and her 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".
Sharing a sweet family picture that Kobe had shared just days earlier, she said: "Thank you for all the prayers.
"We definitely need them. 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."
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Vanessa and Kobe met in 1999, when she was a 17 year old high school senior, and Byrant, 20, was already an established sportsman.
The pair fell in love instantly, and went on to marry in 2001. It would have been their 19th wedding anniversary in April.
Hinting at the anguish her family was going through, she went on: "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."
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Kobe had been on his was to coach his daughter's basketball team in a local youth tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy when his helicopter crashed on Sunday morning, in Calabasas, California.
The other victims include the pilot, two other 13-year-old girls who were headed to the tournament, three of their parents and a coach.
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Reaching out to their families, and stating that she and her daughters "share in their grief intimately," Vanessa went on to reveal that the Mamba Sports Foundation has now set up a fund, named MambaOnThree, to help support them through this difficult time.
Asking fans to respect her families privacy in their time of grieving, Vanessa signed off: "I'm not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it's impossible to imagine life without them. But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way.
"Our love for them is endless - and that's to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever."
RIP to Kobe, Gigi and the rest of the victims.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/ Vanessa BryantTopics: Celebrity News