And when Kobe retired from the NBA, he took over dropping off and picking up our girls from school, since I was at home pregnant with Bianca and just recently home nursing Capri. He taught them how to be brave and how to keep pushing forward when things get tough. He always told the girls how beautiful and smart they are. We had always talked about how we'd be the fun grandparents to our daughters' children. He wanted Natalia to take over his company, and he wanted to travel the world together. But I'm thankful I have that recent text. We were busy taking care of our girls and just doing our regular, everyday responsibilities. We loved each other with our whole beings - two perfectly imperfect people, making a beautiful family, and raising our sweet and amazing girls.Ī couple weeks before they passed, Kobe sent me a sweet text and mentioned how he wanted to spend time together just the two of us without our kids, because I'm his best friend first. We had hoped to grow old together like the movie. When I asked him why he chose the blue dress, he said it was because it's a scene when Ally comes back to Noah. He gifted me the actual notebook and the blue dress Rachel McAdams wore in 'The Notebook' movie. He just thought outside the box and was so thoughtful, even while working hard to be the best athlete. She was a nice person, a leader, a teacher, wearing a white T, black leggings, a denim jacket, white high-top Converse, and a flannel tied around her waist with straight hair was her go-to style. Gianna made us all proud, and she still does. I’m so happy she was given the opportunity to know that she was accepted to the same high school, she was really happy. She was looking forward to graduating eighth grade and moving on to high school with her big sister Natalia. She was directors assistant for her school play, just like her big sister. She was president of school spirit, on student council. She had great grades and kept them up, all while becoming an incredible basketball player. She knew how to read, speak and write Mandarin. She was very much in tune with our feelings and wanted the best for us. She loved family traditions family movie night and game night on vacations were important to her. She was very much like her daddy, in that they both liked helping people learn new things and master them.

She loved helping and teaching other people things at school she offered the boys' basketball coaches to help give the boys' basketball team some pointers, like the triangle offense. GiGi was confident, but not in an arrogant way. She loved to swim, dance, do cartwheels and jumps into our swimming pool and GiGi loved her TikTok dances. She was great at gymnastics, soccer, softball, dance and basketball. She had Kobe’s ability to listen to a song and have all the lyrics memorized after listening to the song a couple of times it was their secret talent. Kobe and Gianna naturally gravitated towards each other. She had the best laugh, it was infectious. She had my fire, my personality and sarcasm. Her smile took up her entire face, like mine. GiGi was very competitive, like her daddy.

She also loved watching Disney movies with her sisters. She loved watching cooking shows and 'Cupcake Wars' with me, and she loved watching 'Survivor' and NBA games on TV with her daddy. She made the best chocolate chip cookies. Kobe’s birthday cake looked like it was professionally decorated.

It had fondant and looked like it had blue agate crystals. Last August, she made a beautiful birthday cake for her daddy. She loved putting a smile on everyone’s face. And she would always tell me and show me how much she loved me. She was daddy’s girl, but I know she loved her mama.

Kobe and gigi bodies hugging