Vanessa Bryant posted some messages on Instagram yesterday. She’s deep in the grieving process and the messages were about how she misses her “best friend” Kobe Bryant and her daughter Gigi. I’m including those IGs at the end of the post. Those are Vanessa’s own words – I imagine she’s trying to process things slowly using social media sparingly, and wanting to highlight some of the memorials for her husband and child. People Magazine also had an update on Vanessa’s state of mind:
Vanessa Bryant is “processing” her grief after the deaths of her husband Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna in a January 26 helicopter crash that claimed the lives of 9 people.
“The shock hasn’t entirely worn off,” a source close to the 37-year-old tells PEOPLE. “She’s very tired; she hasn’t been sleeping. She’s worried about her girls, worried about what happens next.” Since the crash, Vanessa has taken comfort in the many tributes that people have paid to Kobe and Gianna. “Every memorial means something to her,” says the insider. “Every memorial is important.”
The source tells PEOPLE that Vanessa Bryant has a strong support system who is helping her get through the difficult days.
“She’s got people around her who are helping her: physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally,” says the insider. “She has spent the last week surrounded by people who love her and want only the best for her. She’s really being loved and cared for. And so are the girls.”
A fund has been created for the families of the seven other victims — John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, Christina Mauser and pilot Ara Zobayan. Donations are being accepted through the Mamba Sports Foundation called the MambaOnThree Fund.
Of course the shock hasn’t worn off – it’s only been a week and a half. My God. There is no rhyme or reason to grief and I hope she has loved ones around her at this difficult time.
Photos courtesy of Instagram.
Personally, I can’t imagine putting memorial posts up about my husband and daughter so soon after their deaths. And I’m not saying that in a judgmental way — I just don’t know how I could wrap my head around such a tragedy enough to express my grief in that way. She’s an eloquent and strong woman, and my heart hurts for her and her daughters. I hope they’re doing as well as can be expected.
I think the fact that he was a global superstar and she probably sees thousands on her feed everyday it’s just hard to turn away from but if it gives her some peace then good as long as she is not pressured to me making statements.
It is really difficult. If you don’t speak, people speak for you. Even in non-celebrity life, this is an issue.
When my parents died, I went online and let people know, and know how I was doing. That’s how we communicate now, and if I hadn’t done it there, people who needed to see it wouldn’t have.
It feels strange and alien, but this is the world we live in now.
I’m sure she’s simply following a well meaning loved one’s advice. The shock doesn’t wear off for much longer than you’d think. Forever after you feel off balance in every way.
It’s differernt for different people. I remember I was sort of in shock after my dad passed and then as time progressed I began to feel much worse, in a few weeks time. And I can’t even imagine the shock she must be in… I mean they literally perished in an instant… it is so terrible, I actually cried after reading what she wrote about her daughter. It is so true that a parent should go first, parents should not bury their children. It’s an unbearable burden.
Grief is such a person experience, we are individuals and experience it our own ways. She just suffered a huge loss, I hope she does have a big support group, as well as all the other families involved.
Vanessa’s Instagram followers went from just over 1M to 11M since the accident. I think she’s just expressing her gratitude for the outpouring of kind words and tributes on her own terms. Her posts on social media diminishes the close to the family sources that want to run to the tabloids to tell her story. I can’t imagine the grief she’s experiencing but I respect her for wanting to express her own words.
“ Of course the shock hasn’t worn off – it’s only been a week and a half. My God. There is no rhyme or reason to grief and I hope she has loved ones around her at this difficult time.”
Exactly. I still cannot remember much of the months following my husband’s sudden death six years ago, and I didn’t lose a precious child at the same time. I know I carried on and took care of things because they got done, but the memories of the day to day are lost in a fog, which is fine I guess. The times that do stand out for me during those months of living in a daze are all to do with family and friends. My heart goes out to Vanessa and her daughters.
I’m sorry for your loss, c-shell.
Why, thank you so much, Bookie. Loss comes into all our lives at some point, some more grievous than others — the shocking loss to all of the families irrevocably hurt by that crash is just unimaginable to me. Having the searing public attention focused on it because of Bryant’s fame has to be making it a million times more painful.
How could the shock ever wear off, for any of those families?
If she is posting on social media, I hope it’s by her own choice, and she doesn’t feel obligated.
Her tribute to Gianna got me. Cannot imagine the loss of a child. Vanessa and her girls continue to have my prayers.
Nobody is going to let her properly grieve.
The entire social media 1m to 11m followers thing? THat just gives me a bad feeling, I also feel for the rest of the families with not making posts and to the regular people with zero followers.
Well of course she’s still processing and grieving. She will be for many months if not years. It must be doubly hard for her or anyone else who must deal with the social media aspect of it at the same time.
LEAVE THIS WOMAN ALONE! I promise you we don’t need or want to know her grieving process!
this! please stop with these updates, this is not news. leave her and her family alone.
People all over the world loved Kobe
And people everywhere reeled from shock and horror at the sudden death of Kobe and his daughter as well as the others
It is truly magnanimous of her to share even the teeniest glimpse of her process with the world. But she is doing it and doing it on her own terms.
The outrage by some above (“leave her alone!”) Is misplaced. No one is hounding her. She lovingly shared with her followers a piece of her process.
Her grief will not end and her process and her family’s is for them alone. But Kobe WAS a huge important person and again I think it is incredibly magnanimous of her to allow the world to grieve with her at least in small part.
I am not even sure she is the one posting these. Maybe someone close to her is helping her, to keep people updated.