Ciara Shares Sweet Birthday Tribute To Vanessa Bryant: 'The Ultimate Super Mama'
By Fiyin Olowokandi on May 6, 2022 at 8:00 PM EDT
Ciara is showering her longtime friend Vanessa Bryant with love on her 40th birthday!
The iconic songstress is known worldwide for stealing hearts with her powerful vocals and remarkable dance moves, but to her friends, she is simply a loving person.
The "Can’t Leave ’em Alone" artist commemorated her friend's big day by penning a heartwarming tribute to Kobe Bryant's widow on Instagram.
Ciara Marks Vanessa Bryant's Big 40 With A Touching Birthday Message
On Thursday, May 5, Vanessa rang in her 40th birthday with numerous well-wishes, messages, and posts from her family, friends, and fans.
The list of the former model's loved ones included the "Level Up" singer, who sang her friend's praises in a sweet birthday post.
The Grammy winner proved the pair were as close as two peas in a pod by sharing a black-and-white picture of the friends sleeping next to each other on a small bed.
The "All You've Got" actress captioned this beautiful moment, "Happy Birthday to My Boo @VanessaBryant, the ultimate Super Mama! I love you so much!"
The Texas native jokingly added that she would never stop squeezing herself into the tiniest beds with the birthday girl.
In response to this playful declaration, Vanessa left a series of emojis in the comment section alongside the words, "Lol! You will! Thank you, babe!"
Ciara replied to the mother-of-four's comment with a second declaration of her love for the philanthropist. Touched by their friendship, NBA star Pau Gasol's wife Catherine McDonnell wrote "cuties" with two heart eyes emojis.
How did the award-winning artist become friends with the late Black Mamba's wife? As previously shared by TheThings, the pair have been inseparable since the summer of 2020.
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Although it was unclear when the pair started hanging out, the "Body Party" songstress began making frequent appearances on Vanessa's Instagram page in 2020.
At the time, the Hip-hop star and TV personality La La Anthony were the widow's most prominent supporters, organizing sleepovers and helping out with the former model's children following the deaths of her loved ones.
In January 2020, Kobe and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
In her darkest hour, the Granity Studios President received the unwavering support of the "Goodies" musician, who made frequent trips to Los Angeles from her Seattle home.
One of their most memorable outings occurred in October 2020, when the Revlon global ambassador and La La enjoyed a football game with the Bryant family in their backyard.
This heartwarming moment captured the trio laughing and having a good time, showing fans that Vanessa and her children had terrific friends to lift their spirits.
The "Dance Like We're Making Love" singer once shared her adoration for the Be Your Own Champion Award winner on social media, describing the 40-year-old as one of the "toughest" mothers she knew.
Kobe Bryant's Wife Continues Nike Partnership In Honor Of The Late NBA Star And Their Daughter
As reported by The Blast, Vanessa's life changed when she married the late Los Angeles Lakers player in 2001, marking her debut as a public figure.
The lovebirds enjoyed a blissful marriage with their four children, Natalia Diamante, Gianna "Gigi" Maria-Onore, Bianka Bella, and Capri Kobe, until death came knocking on their door in 2020.
In honor of her late husband and daughter, the California native announced in March 2022 that she would continue the deceased's partnership with the Nike Sports brand.
Taking to Instagram, the mother-of-four shared a picture of the Nike logo with the Bryant insignia alongside a lengthy caption that expressed her excitement for the collaboration.
The 40-year-old explained that the high demand for the two-time NBA Finals MVPs Nike shoes made her proud and grateful to his loyal fans.
She also noted that Kobe's shoes were still the most worn by NBA players on the courts, another reason for the philanthropist's decision to continue producing the late athlete's footwear.
According to the mother-of-four, this new partnership would give fans access to her husband and their daughter Gigi's Nike shoes.
The collaboration would also benefit the Bryant family's Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation — which supports underprivileged child athletes — as the total annual earnings from Gigi's shoe sales would be donated to the organization.
