Vanessa Bryant Asks Fans to Wear Red to Honor Daughter Gianna’s 14th Birthday

Vanessa Bryant has one request for her fans. May 1 marks the birthday of Gianna Bryant, the daughter of Vanessa and Kobe Bryant. Gianna and Kobe were killed in a helicopter crash on Jan 26., and Bryant posted an emotional message to Gianna as she would have been 14 years old. She followed up the message to Gianna with a request for fans to wear red as it was her favorite color.

“Gianna loved to wear a red bow in all of her school pictures,” Bryant wrote on Instagram. “Red means love and life. To commemorate Gigi’s birthday today, please consider wearing red, caption an act of kindness or show how you will play Gigi’s way since she always gave everything she did her all and led with kindness. Please use the hashtag #PlayGigisWay. Thank you. 5-1-06 Mambacita.” Vanessa posted a photo of a red bracelet that honors Gianna. This one of the many ways Vanessa has honored Gianna three months after her death.

“Happy 14th Birthday to my sweet baby girl, Gianna,” she wrote in the first post during Gianna’s birthday. “Mommy loves you more than I can ever show you. You are part of MY SOUL forever. I miss you so much everyday. I wish I could wake up and have you here with me. I miss your smile, your hugs and your giggles. I miss EVERYTHING about YOU, Gigi. I LOVE YOU so much!!!!!!!” Gianna had aspirations of being like her father, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 years. She was looking to play college basketball at the University of Connecticut and then move on to the WNBA.

“God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home to him together,” she said. “Babe, you take care of our Gigi. And I got Nati, Bibi and Coco. We’re still the best team. We love and miss you, Boo Boo and Gigi. May you both rest in peace and have fun in heaven until we meet again one day. We love you both and miss you. Forever and always. Mommy.”

“Gianna Bryant is an amazingly sweet and gentle soul,” Vanessa continued. “She was always thoughtful. she always kissed me goodnight and kissed me good morning,” Bryant said. “There were a few occasions where I was absolutely tired from being up with Bianka and Capri and I thought she had left for school without saying goodbye. I text and say ‘No kiss?’ and Gianna would reply with, ‘Mama, I kissed you but you were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you.’”