Vanessa Bryant Had to Block Kobe & Gianna Fan Accounts for This Heartbreaking Reason

Julie Sprankles
Updated ·2 min read

Click here to read the full article.

The Bryant family is doing what they can to focus on healing. In a message to fans shared over the weekend, Vanessa Bryant revealed that she and her eldest daughter, 17-year-old Natalia, have blocked Instagram fan accounts devoted to her late husband Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna — and their reason for doing so is understandable and heartbreaking in equal measure.

In an Instagram Story posted on Saturday, Vanessa explained why she and Natalia ultimately made the difficult decision not to see fans’ tributes to Kobe and “Gigi.” The two were tragically killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 that also took the lives of seven others. “Thx so much for all the [love],” Vanessa wrote. “@nataliabryant and I have unfortunately had to block fan pages because it’s been really hard to go online and constantly see pics of our beloved Gigi and Kobe under every single square of our explore pages. Blocking the fan pages has helped change the algorithm.”

More from SheKnows

Vanessa continued, emphasizing that their basis for blocking the fan pages centered on their mental health. “We [love] you but please understand that we had to do this for our own healing not because we don’t appreciate your [love],” she said, concluding, “Xo.”

Related Video: Vanessa Bryant Reveals the Tattoos She Got in Honor of Kobe and Gianna

The family is finding other ways to foster healing, too. Last week, Vanessa shared a video on her Instagram Stories of her getting a tattoo on her shoulder in honor of Kobe. “I wanted my boo boo’s @kobebryant sweet message transferred on me,” she said, attributing the ink to tattoo artist Nikko Hurtado. “Truly honored to give you something to keep with you, my friend,” Hurtado commented on the video.

Vanessa also shared a video clip from the tattoo she got in February featuring a handwritten message from her late daughter. “Gigi’s sweet message transferred on me,” she said. “So happy I can see my Gigi’s handwriting [every day].”

Before you go, take a few minutes to remember all the stars we’ve lost in 2020.

Launch Gallery: Celebrity Deaths in 2020: Jerry Stiller, Little Richard & All the Stars We've Lost

Best of SheKnows

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.