Vanessa Bryant says the memory of her late husband Kobe and daughter Gianna "motivate" her to "keep going".

Vanessa and Kobe Bryant

Vanessa and Kobe Bryant

The late NBA legend's widow has opened up on she is still crippled by grief and has bad days where she struggles to cope with the death of Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna in a fatal helicopter crash in January 2020.

Speaking to PEOPLE magazine, Vanessa said: "I can't say that I'm strong every day. I can't say that there aren't days where I feel like I can't survive to the next."

When Vanessa feels overcome with her loss she thinks of her departed loved-ones and her three children, Natalia, 18, Bianka, four, and 20-month-old Capri, to give her strength.

She said: "I guess the best way to describe it is that Kobe and Gigi motivate me to keep going. They inspire me to try harder and be better every day.

"Their love is unconditional and they motivate me in so many different ways."

Vanessa admitted the grief has been "unimaginable" since Kobe's death at the age of 41, but she wants to push on to make the best life for both herself and her family.

She said: "This pain is unimaginable [but] you just have to get up and push forward.

"Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again.

"But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do."

Last month, Vanessa shared a poignant letter from one of Gianna's best friends to mark the first anniversary of her daughter and Kobe's deaths.

She captioned the post: "Today I received this sweet letter from one of Gianna's best friends, Aubrey.

"I love you Aubz (as my Gigi would call you). Thank you so much for beautifully sharing some of your memories with Gigi with me and allowing me to share them here on my ig. (sic)"

She continued: "My Gigi is INCREDIBLE and I truly appreciate your thoughtful letter. She loves you so much. I miss my baby girl and Kob-Kob so much, too.

"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! (sic)"


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