Sharing a family photo to Instagram, Bryant thanked the “millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time”.
Bryant said her family was “completely devastated” by the loss, and also for the other families who lost loved ones.
“There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved,” she said.
“We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.”
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Bryant said the Mamba Sports Foundation had set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support other families affected by the tragedy.
Nine people including Kobe and Gianna were killed when the chopper went down in California on Sunday local time.
Kobe and Vanessa met 20 years ago when she was still in high school. Kobe proposed when she turned 18 and they wed in 2001.
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The couple reportedly had a pact never to ride in the same helicopter as each other in case tragedy struck, so that one of them would remain to raise their daughters.
They had four daughters together including Gianna.
