New Delhi: "There aren't enough words to describe our pain right now," said Vanessa Bryant on Thursday, breaking her silence days after the sudden demise of her husband Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria Onore Bryant in a helicopter crash incident.
Vanessa posted a family photo on Instagram along with a statement.
"My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who've shown support and love during this horrific time. 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," Vanessa said.
"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," she added.
Bryant, 41, and his 13-year old daughter Gianna were among the nine people killed when a helicopter they were traveling in crashed amid foggy conditions and burst into flames in the hills above Calabasas.
"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," Vanessa further said in her statement.
"Thank you for sharing your joy, your grief and your support with us. We ask that you grant us the respect and privacy we will need to navigate this new reality," she added.
The basketball legend had won five National Basketball Association (NBA) championships in his 20-year-long career while playing for Los Angeles Lakers.
Hollywood artists including Snoop Dogg, Meek Mill, Justin Bieber, Usher, 2 Chainz want the National Basketball Association (NBA) to change their logo to honour Kobe Bryant.
Billboard reported that the NBA has discussed numerous ways of celebrating Kobe's legacy, one of the major changes they have in mind is switching the NBA's longtime logo from Jerry West to a silhouette of the Black Mamba.
