Kobe Bryant’s Wife Vanessa Shares Throwback Video of Her ‘Best Friend’

Vanessa Bryant reflected on her late husband, Kobe Bryant, on Instagram on Wednesday, using her account to share some memories of the former Los Angeles Lakers star, including an interview Bryant once participated in with Extra.

The lighthearted interview saw Kobe reveal that the first job he ever had was mowing lawns, that he was afraid of bees and that he wasn’t a fan of dog poop. That clip was followed by another interview with Extra seven years later in which Kobe again noted his disdain for dog poop, shared that his favorite junk food was a burger and that his wife was his best friend.

Vanessa captioned the clip with a simple red heart emoji. Prior to that, she had posted a photo of her husband that she captioned, “#mybestfriend #theBestdaddy Miss you so much. #handsome #sweet #funny #silly #lovinghusband. Miss you saying, ‘Bonjourno principessa/reina.’”

The mom of four initially broke her silence three days after Kobe and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in California. Seven others were also killed in the crash.

“My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time,” Vanessa began alongside a family photo with Kobe, Gianna and the couple’s other daughters, Natalia, Bianka and Capri. “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,” Vanessa continued. “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.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Stefanie Keenan