It’s been a year since the death of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, and the massive hole is still evident in the hearts of those who knew them best. On Tuesday (Jan. 26), Vanessa Bryant, Bryant’s widow and mother of Gianna, shared a letter on Instagram that one of Gianna’s best friends recently sent to her.
“Today, I received this sweet letter from one of Gianna’s best friends,” Vanessa wrote. “Thank you so much for beautifully sharing some of your memories of my Gigi with me.”
The letter, written by Aubrey Callaghan, describes the friendship she shared with Gianna and what made Gianna so special in the lives of all her friends at school.
“If I ever become a mom, I hope my daughter turns out exactly as yours did,” Callaghan wrote. “She attacked each day as though it was hers to conquer.”
Callaghan also wrote about Gianna’s “fiercely competitive side,” what a caring and generous person she was and what kind of impact she feels Gianna has left behind on the world.
“I hope that in the midst of your intense sadness, you catch a glimpse of joy in who the daughter you created and raised was,” she wrote. “You did it right, Mrs. Bryant. I am so, so blessed I got to have time with your angel of a daughter.”
Vanessa echoed Callaghan’s sentiment with some final words about Kobe and Gianna.
“I miss my baby girl and Kob-Kob so much, too,” Vanessa wrote. “I will never understand why/how this tragedy could’ve happened to such beautiful, kind and amazing human beings. It still doesn’t seem real. Kob, we did it right. Gigi, you still make mommy proud. I love you!”
