On Wednesday (November 2), Vanessa Bryant, widow of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, posted a touching Día de Muertos tribute to her late husband and daughter, Gianna.
The video she posted features herself dressed in full make up as La Catrina, an icon of the Día de Muertos holiday. In her version of the character, Vanessa is wearing an all-black dress with black tulle and sheer black sleeves with ruffles at the wrists. Positioned at the center of the bodice of the dress is a purple heart with gold and silver accents surrounding it. The purple and gold symbolize the Los Angeles Lakers, the team Kobe played for during his entire 20-year NBA career.
The outline of a No. 2 can be seen at the center of the heart. No. 2 was the jersey number worn by Gianna when she competed in basketball. Vanessa also wore an elaborate headpiece featuring gold roses and butterflies and a gold basketball with stars positioned in a way to look like a halo floating above her head. In her hands, Vanessa has a bouquet of gold and dark purple roses.
At the start of the video, Vanessa is standing in front of a mural of Kobe and Gianna with the heartbreaking song “Amor eterno,” sung by Rocío Dúrcal, playing in the background and for the duration of the video tribute. Some of the song’s lyrics include: “Prefiero estar dormida que despierta / De tanto que me duele que no estés / Como quisiera que tú vivieras.”
Kobe and Gianna died tragically in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Friends of Vanessa Bryant and her family commented on the video, including actress Zoe Saldaña (Avatar) who wrote, “You are so beautiful! Thinking of you and the girls always.”