Natalia Bryant just turned 17 when her father, Kobe Bryant, and one of her younger sisters, Gigi Bryant died in a helicopter crash. The eldest daughter of the late legendary basketball player gained the appreciation of many for her grace and strength during those trying times. She has slowly but steadily become her mom, Vanessa Bryant’s “right-hand woman” since the incident. The University of Southern California student has become a celebrity in her own right.
In Bryant’s last Halloween before his death, he shared on Twitter/X a photo of his family dressed as the main characters in the “Wizard of Oz.” The model recaptured that moment by using the same photo in one of her Instagram stories. Her late father captioned the lasting moment with a simple:
“HAPPY HALLOWEEN”
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Natalia Bryant posting Kobe Bryant’s last Halloween with the family.
In the photo, Kobe Bryant played “The Wizard” while Natalia Bryant was garbed as “The Scarecrow.” Vanessa Bryant may have stolen the show as “The Wicked Witch of the West.” She held up little Capri who was supposedly “The Cowardly Lion.” Gigi Bryant, predictably, was beside her father as “The Tin Man.” Bianka Bryant was dressed as “Dorothy.”
Unknowingly for the family, it was going to be their last Halloween. A few months later, tragedy struck and shook not just the Bryants, but also the entire sporting world.
Over the years, Natalia Bryant has been honoring his father publicly. In March 2023 during the unveiling of Kobe Bryant’s handprints at the TCL Chinese Theatre, she said this about her father:
“Dad, you’re an icon, a legend, the storyteller, and most importantly, the best girl dad any young woman could ever dream of. I’m honored to be here to represent you and our family, and we are extremely proud of you. We will love you forever and always. Love, Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, Capri and Mommy.”
The LA Lakers icon and Gigi Bryant may have passed but they remain alive as ever for Natalia Bryant and her family.
Natalia Bryant embodies Kobe Bryant’s resilience and perseverance
For a 17-year-old teen to go through what she did in 2020, Natalia Bryant showed the “Mamba Mentality.” Kobe Bryant would have been proud of the way she handled adversity and pressure.
The eldest of the Bryant children is now a sophomore at USC and has a budding career as a model. She shared in an interview in 2021 that she wears a necklace that never fails to remind her of her father and one of her sisters.
Here’s what she said about that special gift from her father:
“It says, ‘Dedication makes dreams come true.’ And it’s a quote from my dad. So, it’s something that I live by.”
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Edited by Michael Macasero