Vanessa Bryant, wife of the late Kobe Bryant, took to Instagram to announce that her eldest daughter is making the next big step in pursuit of knowledge and is going off to college. The 18-year-old is enrolled at the University of Southern California and Vanessa is certain that her husband would be proud.
“Today was rough. (This was before the tears came down),” Vanessa wrote in the caption of an Instagram post that detailed Natalia’s big move-in day. Natalia’s two younger siblings, Bianka and Capri, were also seen in the photograph with big smiles on their faces.
Four-year-old Bianka was even wearing a USC shirt, making sure to represent her sister’s new school. Absent from the photo was 14-year-old Gianna, who unfortunately passed away in the fatal helicopter crash that also took the life of her father. In reference to her second eldest, Vanessa stated, “Missing ✌🏽forever,” and then reminded Natalia to fight on.
Kobe Bryant is ‘so PROUD’ of his eldest daughter’s academic achievements.
Natalia Bryant’s college acceptance was announced in March, to which Vanessa posted a video of the ecstatic teen on Instagram. She wrote, “Tears of joy. I’m SO happy for you Nani! I know daddy is so PROUD OF YOU. I am so PROUD OF YOU!! Your hard work and dedication was so worth it. You pushed through the most excruciating pain imaginable and you succeeded,” and even included the sentiments, “I wish Daddy and Gigi were physically here to celebrate but I know they’re here in spirit. We love you so much.”
Upon the horrific news of her family’s loss, Natalia stood tall. She had to finish out her senior year of high school in the grieving process and through the COVID-19 pandemic, but her mom commented that she is incredibly resilient. She graduated from Sage Hill School, a preparatory school in Newport Coast, CA, and committed to the University of Southern California for college.
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In an interview with PEOPLE, Vanessa shared in reference to Natalia, “On top of her own grief, she has balanced her senior year of high school, applying to colleges, nurturing her sisters, and just recently signing her own modeling contract with IMG.”
Although move-in day was incredibly emotional for the Bryant family, the girls are incredibly happy to see the eldest Bryant daughter start the next chapter of her life at one of California’s top universities.
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