Vanessa Bryant has renamed the sports foundation created in her late husband’s honour, Mamba Sports Foundation, to include a reference to her late daughter Gianna.
The charity will now be known as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation in reference to both Kobe and Gianna Bryant, who died last month in a helicopter crash.
Kobe established the charity in 2018 as a way of helping young aspiring athletes by developing their talents and providing them with opportunities they may not otherwise have access to.
The organisation’s website explains: “The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation is focused on creating a positive impact through sports.
“The Foundation aims to develop learning skills, enhancing character traits, and expanding personal values that ultimately empower and inspire self-confidence.”
Vanessa announced the name change on Instagram on Thursday.
“Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation,” she said, referencing Kobe and Gianna’s respective jersey numbers.
“Our mission remains the same – and stronger than ever – to provide opportunities to young people through sports,” she continued.
Vanessa Bryant 🦋Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. Our mission remains the same – and stronger than ever – to provide opportunities to young people through sports. Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy.. We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape. #Mamba #Mambacita #wings @mambamambacitasports
“Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy.
“We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape.”
Vanessa broke her silence after the tragic deaths of her husband and daughter last month in an emotional Instagram post.
“I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved,” she wrote. “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.
Vanessa Bryant 🦋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 ❤️
“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.”
