Kobe Bryant's wife opens up after husband and daughter's deaths

Retired NBA star Kobe was one of five people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas in Southern California on Sunday. Bryant was travelling with at least three other people and his daughter in his private helicopter when it went down.

New Delhi: Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa Bryant has spoken out for the first time since her husband and daughter Gianna's demise in a helicopter crash. Vanessa said the family is 'completely devastated' by the tragedy.

• View this post on Instagram

  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. 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. 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. 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. To honor our Team Mamba family, the Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy. To donate, please go to MambaOnThree.org. To further Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports, please visit MambaSportsFoundation.org. Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and me. #Mamba #Mambacita #GirlsDad #DaddysGirls #Family ❤️

  A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on Jan 29, 2020 at 4:59pm PST

  " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  View this post on Instagram

  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. 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. 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. 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. To honor our Team Mamba family, the Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy. To donate, please go to MambaOnThree.org. To further Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports, please visit MambaSportsFoundation.org. Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and me. #Mamba #Mambacita #GirlsDad #DaddysGirls #Family ❤️

  A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on Jan 29, 2020 at 4:59pm PST

  ">

  View this post on Instagram

  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. 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. 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. 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. To honor our Team Mamba family, the Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy. To donate, please go to MambaOnThree.org. To further Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports, please visit MambaSportsFoundation.org. Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and me. #Mamba #Mambacita #GirlsDad #DaddysGirls #Family ❤️

  A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on Jan 29, 2020 at 4:59pm PST

"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 wrote on her Instagram account.

"There aren't enough words to describe our pain right now. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever," Vanessa added.

Retired NBA star Kobe was one of five people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas in Southern California on Sunday. Bryant was travelling with at least three other people and his daughter in his private helicopter when it went down.

An 18-time All-Star, Bryant was known for his remarkable scoring ability wih his turnaround jump shot almost being unstoppable. Teaming up with fellow All-Star Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe won three consecutive NBA titles from 2000 to 2002 and later won two more rings, in 2009 and 2010.

Kobe Bryant's achievements

Being known as the Black Mamba, Bryant twice led the NBA in scoring and won the league's Most Valuable Player award in 2008.

Born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryant went straight from high school to the NBA after being drafted by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th overall pick of the 1996 draft, making him the youngest NBA player in history at age 17. He was then traded by the Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers for veteran center Vlade Divac.

Kobe soon established himself as one of the most decorated players in NBA history, while also winning two Olympic gold medals for the USA men's basketball team in 2008 and 2012.

Kobe Bryant's achievements

On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored 81 points in Lakers' 122-104 win over Toronto. Only Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962 tops this performance.

In his career's final game in 2016, Kobe scored 60 points on 50 shots, thus helping the Lakers win against the Utah Jazz at a frenzied Staples Center in Los Angeles. He thus finished his NBA career with 33,643 points.

Regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of basketball, Kobe Bryant will remain in our hearts forever.