Vanessa Bryant Is Reportedly 'Surrounded By People Who Love Her' As She Processes Grief
By TheBlast Staff on February 5, 2020 at 8:35 AM EST
Gettyimages | Stephen Dunn
It's been less than two weeks since Vanessa Bryant's entire world was turned upset when her husband, Kobe Bryant, and their 13-year-old daughter Vanessa died in a helicopter crash. So it should be no surprise that she is still in shock and working through her grief, according to a PEOPLE source.
“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.”
“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.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Vanessa took to Instagram to share a couple of posts about Kobe. One was a video of him in which he called her his best friend. In the other, she posted a professional portrait photo of her husband and wrote about missing him.
Gettyimages | Kevork Djansezian
"My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time," Vanessa began her post. "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."
She continued, "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."
"I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them," Vanessa wrote. "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."
She concluded: "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."
