Vanessa Bryant is begging the media to respect her family ahead of the anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death.
The 38-year-old lost her husband and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, in a helicopter accident last year. In an Instagram post, Vanessa said it had been a "traumatic year" and pleaded with the media not to add to it by publishing images of the helicopter wreckage and accident scene.
"We ask that you do not air photos of the wreckage, helicopter in the air or accident scene," Vanessa wrote. "We do NOT want to see it. Our year has been traumatic enough. You have thousands of photos and videos you can show besides footage of 1/26/20. We hope videos of remembrance are done in a classy and tasteful manner that is respectful of all our losses. Thank you."
The helicopter in which Kobe, his daughter, and seven others were traveling went down in Calabasas, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, on Jan. 26. In an Instagram story last week, Vanessa wrote a powerful message about grief.
“Let me be real — grief is a messed-up cluster of emotions," she wrote, according to Cosmopolitan. "One day you're in the moment laughing and the next day you don't feel like being alive," she wrote. "I want to say this for people struggling with grief and heartbreaking loss. Find your reason to live. I know it's hard."
Vanessa explained that her daughters, Natalia, 17, Bianka, 4, and Capri, 1, gave her strength to push through her grief.
"Death is guaranteed but living the rest of the day isn't. Find your reason," she added.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.