Vanessa Bryant is observing Dia de Los Muertos, popularly referred to as the Day of the Dead, in memory of her late husband, Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna Bryant.
The beautiful 40-year-old mother and businesswoman shared a video of herself on Instagram on Wednesday, dressed in the traditional clothes for the event, which is predominantly celebrated in Mexico as a memorial to the deceased.
Bryant displayed her intention to remember Kobe and Gianna, who both perished in a tragic helicopter crash back in January 2020.
She posed in front of a gorgeous painting depicting the duo. In the video, Bryant accessorized with a gold headpiece covered in coordinating flowers while gracefully rocking skull makeup and a long, black dress with a purple heart in the center.
“Amor Eterno Dia De Los Muertos Kobe & Gigi,” Bryant captioned the post.
Vanessa Bryant paid tribute to Kobe Bryant & Gigi Bryant for #DiaDeLosMuertos 💜🏵️💛pic.twitter.com/dTjzBEOMpp
— 935 KDAY (@935KDAY) November 3, 2022
She described the process of creating the look in a subsequent post, noting the importance of designer Lily Martinez.
“The #2 on my sacred heart for my Gigi, the golden basketball halo with 24 stars for my husband, the 6 butterflies on my flower crown representing my family… everything is so heartfelt and thought out,” she elaborated.
“The love and details you put into this do not go unnoticed,” Bryant warmheartedly added.
She received an outpouring of love and support in her comments from some well-known names, including Ciara, Zoe Saldana, George Lopez, Lala, Lisa Leslie and many more.
Bryant was also included in a particular post by the photographer Kusha Alagband, who expressed her gratitude and honor to have captured the event.
“Yesterday, I switched my activist hat for my real job. Had an opportunity to shoot the stunning @vanessabryant in an amazing gown made for Dia de los Muertos (sometimes called Dia de los Fieles Difuntos) – Day of the Dead,” she said.
“Traditionally, November 1st honors deceased children and November 2nd honors deceased adults. Day of the Dead is celebrated passionately throughout Mexico, and especially so in smaller provincial towns and cities. Far from being a morbid event, Day of Dead emphasizes remembrance of past lives and expresses celebration of the continuity of life. Local families will plan for Day of the Dead celebrations days, weeks, or perhaps even a whole year in advance,” Alagband further detailed.
“A focal point of the remembrance ritual is families creating ofrendas —altars with offerings to the deceased— which are set-up in homes or public spaces like parks or plazas, and also at local cemeteries where family members are buried. This is such a beautiful tradition… so glad I got to capture this day and share presence with this super woman,” she kindly concluded her caption.
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Vanessa Bryant is strong and resilient. She is also the mother of Natalia, 19, Bianka, 5, and Capri, 3, and while she has openly expressed her deep sorrow at the loss of her beloved husband and daughter, she discusses the ways in which their legacies continue to motivate and encourage her.
In order to guarantee that more kids have access to sports and health, she has worked with the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, which Kobe founded in 2016 but renamed in 2020.
Bryant contributed to the Foundation the $16 million she earned in a lawsuit against Los Angeles County following the dissemination of helicopter accident images by personnel of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department in August 2022.
She continued the celebration by posting additional photos and stories to Instagram, in tribute to her two loved ones. We send our love, light, and positive vibes to Vanessa and the Bryant family.
