Kobe Bryant’s Widow Vanessa Shares Throwback Photo From ‘Day 1’ With Late Star

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly four years since the world lost star Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant. On Jan. 26, 2020, the 41-year-old died in a Calabasas, CA helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, including the pilot. And coming up on the four-year-anniversary of the tragedy, Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, has shared a touching throwback photo of the couple back when they first met.

“Twnety-four years ago … Day 1,” Bryant captioned an Instagram post on Monday, dating the photo Nov. 27. 1999. In the throwback, Kobe is wearing a gray track suit jacket while Bryant, née Vanessa Urbieta Cornejo, was all smiles in a mesh, hot-pink tank top and chunky blonde highlights of the era.

24 years ago,

Day 1 of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant ?? pic.twitter.com/GV68js55SZ

— Mamba Insider (@Mamba_Insider) November 28, 2023

The pair famously got engaged in May 2000, just six months after meeting while then 17-year-old Vanessa was working as a background dancer on a music video and 21-year-old Kobe was working on his debut album. They later married on April 18, 2001 in Dana Point, California, and welcomed four daughters over the course of their marriage; the youngest being Capri Kobe, who was born in June 2019.

Back in August, Bryant posted a tribute to her late husband on what would have been his 45th birthday. “Happy 45th birthday, baby. I love you always and forever,” the 41-year-old wrote alongside a series of Instagram photos of the couple over the years, in happier times.

In addition to Vanessa and Capri, Bryant is survived by his other two daughters; Natalia, born in 2003 and Bianka Bella, born in 2016.