Vanessa Bryant marked what would have been Gianna Bryant’s 20th birthday on Friday with a series of tributes to her late daughter. She first shared a picture of the two kissing on Instagram and wrote, “Happy birthday to my sweet baby angel, Gianna,” before adding, “Words can’t express how much I love and miss you mamacita. Mommy loves you so much! #HappyBirthday #20.”
She followed that with a video announcing that scholarships worth $500,000 had been awarded to 20 student athletes in Gianna’s honor. In a caption on the footage, Bryant and the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation wrote, “Congratulations to all of our 2026 Scholars! We are deeply honored to invest in your future,” and added, “And to our Gigi, Happy 20th Birthday! Your vision, your spirit, and your beautiful heart continue to light the way.”
Gianna died in the January 2020 helicopter crash that also killed Kobe Bryant and seven others. She was 13. Kobe Bryant was 41. Vanessa Bryant, who has four children, has spent years working to keep those legacies visible, using foundations, special sneakers and public tributes to mark birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones.
The scholarship announcement shows that Friday was not only a day of remembrance but a day of action in Gianna’s name. By pairing a birthday tribute with new support for student athletes, Vanessa Bryant made clear that the family’s grief is still being carried forward through the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.