Father’s Day is a difficult time for some families as they remember those who are no longer with us, with the Bryant family one of millions affected in the United States after Kobe Bryant‘s tragic death.
But his widow Vanessa Bryant is using his legacy in a positive way to recognize the best fathers out there, especially ones with girls to raise, and that includes Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson.
Vanessa Bryant fulfills one of Kobe Bryant’s lifelong dreams
The NFL star has three children with his wife, R&B singer Ciara after they tied the knot in 2016 – Sienna, 7, Win, 3, and Amora, who is only a few months old. He also has a 10-year-old stepson, Future, from her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, rapper Future.
Balancing his football career and family life must be a challenge, especially with two young daughters to raise. But Ciara often posts clips of Wilson performing his fatherly duties just like as any other American dad.
On Father’s Day on June 16, he received an unexpected surprise when he opened a gift from Vanessa, who had sent him a special gift to open.
Inside the package were Nike’s ‘Nice Kicks’, which were designed to honor Kobe. It included a pair of sneakers, Kobe‘s favorite memory, basketball, and a girl dad title.
Naturally, Wilson was moved by Bryant‘s kind gesture after posting the clip on his Instagram Story, captioning the clip: “So GRATEFUL! Thanks Sis for the amazing Father’s Day gift! #GirlDad.” He also tagged Vanessa and Nike in the story.
Vanessa Bryant preserves Kobe Bryant’s legacy
‘Nice Kicks’ is essentially a tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, also known as Gigi, after they died in a helicopter crash that killed five people in January 2020.
In honor of Mamba Day, Nike release every shoe Kobe ever played in and Vanessa, who remains a partner of Nike, often does giveaways to hand their special tribute gifts.
After Bryant and Gigi‘s death, Vanessa was left as a single parent to their their daughters, Natalia Diamante Bryant and Gianna Bryant.
But she wanted to honor the dads out there like Wilson who provide love and warmth for their girls like her late husband did, helping preserve his legacy some four years after his death.
