Vanessa Bryant’s Life After Kobe’s Death: Businesses and Keeping Daughter Gianna’s Legacy Alive

Vanessa Bryant has stayed widely out of the spotlight following the January 2020 death of her husband, Kobe Bryant, and daughter Gianna Bryant.

Kobe and Gianna died at ages 41 and 13, respectively, in a helicopter crash, which also claimed the lives of seven others. The aircraft was on its way to the late NBA star’s Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy ahead of a basketball game.

In the wake of their deaths, she has continued to honor their legacy with various businesses and philanthropic endeavors. While Kobe started the Mamba Sports Foundation in 2016, Vanessa has since changed the name to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, which focuses on the positive impact of underserved male and female athletes.

Vanessa sued Los Angeles County for invasion of privacy and negligence following Kobe and Gianna’s deaths after Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department employees took and distributed photos of the helicopter crash. In August 2022, she was awarded $16 million in damages. The following year, she settled for nearly $29 million, all of which was donated to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

The businesswoman also launched the Mambacita clothing line in May 2021, more than a year after Kobe and Gianna’s deaths, as a way to honor her late daughter.

Vanessa and Kobe married in April 2001. Along with their late daughter Gianna, the couple shared daughters Natalia (born January 2003), Bianka (born December 2016) and Capri (born June 2019).

After widespread rumors claimed Vanessa was pregnant with her fifth child in early 2025, she took to social media and set the record straight. She shared a meme of Rihanna swimming with a snorkel, carrying a drink and flipping the middle finger alongside a caption that read: “Me protecting my peace, not pregnant & having fun all summer.”

Vanessa’s Instagram also proves she’s a doting mother, with her frequently showing off her daughters’ respective successes.

She shared various photos from eldest daughter Natalia’s University of Southern California graduation in May 2025. One video from the celebration showed Vanessa kissing her daughter on the cheek.

That same month, Vanessa continued her philanthropic efforts by launching the Gianna Bryant Scholarship Award in memory of her late daughter.

“With the support of the Variety Boys and Girls Club in Boyle Heights @varietybgc, we’ve selected exceptional young people who embody Gigi’s Mamba Mentality through their resilience, commitment to equal opportunities, and ability to inspire others,” she shared via social media. “To our recipients, you are representatives of Gianna’s vision — to create a world where young people have every opportunity to follow their dreams regardless of gender or the pressures and expectations we receive from society. Sending all our love to you and your bright futures ahead.”