Vanessa Bryant
Bryant in 2010
Born
Vanessa Urbieta Cornejo

(1982-05-05) May 5, 1982
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesVanessa Laine
Occupation(s)President and CEO of Granity Studios
Board of Directors of Bodyarmor SuperDrink
Philanthropist, business executive, model
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2001; died 2020)​
ChildrenFour

Vanessa Marie Bryant (born Vanessa Urbieta Cornejo; May 5, 1982) is a Mexican-American businesswoman, philanthropist, and model. She is the widow of American professional basketball player Kobe Bryant. With her husband, she founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation in 2007 to provide scholarships to minority college students worldwide. Bryant leads the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting child athletes who are in need.

Early life

Bryant was born on May 5, 1982, in Los Angeles, California.[1] She is of Mexican descent.[2] Her parents divorced when she was a baby. After her parents' divorce, her biological father moved to Baja California. She has an older sister, Sophie.[2] Her mother was a shipping clerk at an electronics company. In 1990, her mother married Stephen Laine, who was a middle manager at the same electronics company that she worked in.[1] She began going by Laine after the marriage and officially changed her name to Vanessa Marie Laine in 2000, despite never officially being adopted by her step-father.[1][3]

Her family's home was in Garden Grove, California, and she resided with her step-grandfather Robert Laine in Huntington Beach, California. She attended Marina High School.[1][4][5]

In August 1999, Bryant and her friend Rowena Ireifej attended a hip-hop concert at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre. They were approached by a company and offered work as music video extras and backup dancers. Bryant later appeared in music videos for artists including Krayzie Bone and Snoop Dogg.[1] Her mother chaperoned her on the shoots.[6][1] In November 1999, Bryant met her future husband Kobe Bryant on the set of a music video for a rap song he was releasing. The interaction was captured on camera and, years later, the short clip was included in Kobe Bryant's 2015 Showtime documentary 'Muse'.

Their high-profile relationship caused disruptions at her high school, leading Bryant to complete her senior year at home as an independent study.[1][4] She graduated from high school in 2000 with honors.[2]

Career and philanthropy

The Bryants and Eric Garcetti in 2016

In 2007, Bryant and her husband founded the VIVO Foundation which was later renamed the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation. It is a charity that supports increasing a global perspective among young people. It provides scholarships for minority college students and other youth worldwide. The charity has collaborated with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.[7]

Bryant and her husband were founding donors of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.[8]

In 2020, following her husband and second-oldest daughter's deaths, Bryant changed the name of her husband's Mamba Sports Foundation to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation in honor of her daughter.[9] It supports poor child athletes.[10] In May 2021, Bryant launched a Mambacita line of clothing in honor of her daughter Gianna. The line is in partnership with a female-owned brand, Dannijo and all proceeds go towards the Mambacita Sports Foundation.[11]

Bryant was the president and chief executive officer of Granity Studios.[12]

Bryant worked with Baby2Baby to provide support for women and children in poverty. At the Baby2Baby 10-year gala in November 2021, she received a philanthropy award.[13]

Marriage and children

The Bryants and former U.S. president Barack Obama, in the Oval Office in 2010

Six months after meeting, Laine and Kobe Bryant were engaged. Her engagement ring included a seven-carat diamond.[4][14] They married on April 18, 2001.[3] The private wedding ceremony was attended by approximately twelve people and was held at the St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Dana Point, California.[15][16] After the marriage, she took his last name, becoming Vanessa Marie Bryant.[17]

They had four children: Natalia (born January 2003),[6] Gianna Maria-Onore ("Gigi") (born May 2006),[18] Bianka Bella (born December 2016),[19][20][21] and Capri Kobe (born June 2019).[22][23]

During the 2003 sexual assault case against her husband, Bryant defended him, stating: "I know my husband made the mistake of adultery".[24] A few days later, she received a $4 million eight-carat purple diamond ring leading to speculation that this was a gift for her support.[3] According to David K. Wiggins, a professor of sport studies, her husband had commissioned the ring two months prior.[25] Kobe Bryant later said that he felt guilt about a miscarriage his wife had suffered in early 2005, attributing it to the rape allegations.[26]

Bryant was a strong influence on her husband. She was the focus of speculation by tabloids.[1] In 2004, Bryant accused Lakers player Karl Malone of acting inappropriately towards her. Malone later apologized while denying making a pass at her.[6] Sports Illustrated published a story titled Vanessa-gate about "wife-poaching" by Malone.[1] Other columnists described Bryant as the new Yoko Ono, and she was the subject of a Saturday Night Live parody.[6] She was recognized by supporters for challenging the National Basketball Association culture of tolerance of tomcatting.[1]

In 2009, Bryant's housekeeper Maria Jimenez sued the Bryants. Jimenez alleged that Vanessa Bryant verbally abused and humiliated her while she worked at their Newport Coast home from September 2007 to March 2008. The Bryants denied those allegations and countersued Jimenez, alleging that she breached a confidentiality agreement.[6] Bryant settled the suit in 2010, paying an undisclosed amount to Jimenez.[27]

In December 2011, Vanessa filed for divorce from Kobe, citing irreconcilable differences[24] and sparked speculation about the possible distribution of assets in a divorce.[28] Thirteen months later, the Bryants called off the divorce.[29] In April 2016, David Wharton and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times described Bryant as a contradictory and "at times polarizing public figure".[6]

2020 helicopter crash and subsequent litigation

On January 26, 2020, Bryant's husband and their daughter Gigi died in the Calabasas helicopter crash. She sued Los Angeles County for invasion of privacy and negligence after employees of the Sheriff's Office and Fire Department took photos of the victims of the crash and improperly shared them.[30] The case went to trial and, in August 2022, she was awarded $16 million in damages.[31] In February 2023, the county settled the case with Bryant and her daughters, with the county agreeing to pay $28.85 million (including the approximate $15 million awarded to her in the previous year and additional funds to settle potential claims from her daughters).[32] Vanessa Bryant said she would donate the lawsuit proceeds to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.[33]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hubler, Shawn (March 5, 2005). "Vanessa Laine was just another sheltered Orange County teen - Then she fell in love with a phenomenon". Daily Press. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  2. 1 2 3 Silas, Karen (February 28, 2020). "Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa Bryant's background - everything you need to know". HOLA. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  3. 1 2 3 Harris, Beth (2003-08-05). "Brant and wife remain close". The Springfield News-Leader. p. 29. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  4. 1 2 3 Gold, Scott (2000-05-20). "Laker's Marriage Plans Are the Talk of His Fiancee's High School". The Los Angeles Times. p. 23. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  5. ↑ Lynch, Renee (2000-05-20). "Kobe: Fame Descends on Marina High School". The Los Angeles Times. p. 217. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wharton, David; Fenno, Nathan (2016-04-17). "Much like her husband Kobe, Vanessa Bryant has been a contradictory, at times polarizing public figure". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  7. ↑ Schultz, Kyley (January 26, 2020). "Here's how you can donate to the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation". WUSA9. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  8. ↑ "Statement on the Death of Basketball Icon and Museum Founding Donor Kobe Bryant". National Museum of African American History and Culture. January 28, 2020.
  9. ↑ Gardner, Steve. "Kobe Bryant's Mamba Sports Foundation adds 'Mambacita' to name in honor of daughter Gianna". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  10. ↑ "Vanessa Bryant to receive honor for leadership". ESPN. 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  11. ↑ Maiysha, Kai (May 3, 2021). "Following Split With Nike, Vanessa Bryant Honors Gianna's 15th Birthday With Philanthropic 'Mambacita' Line". The Root. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  12. ↑ "Vanessa Bryant 'Extremely Thankful' for Friends Who Have Helped Her Cope With Kobe and Gianna's Deaths". KVUE. January 25, 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  13. ↑ Rodriquez-Jimenez, Jorge (2021-11-15). "Vanessa Bryant Remembers Kobe's Commitment to Philanthropy While Accepting Award". Remezcla. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  14. ↑ DiFilippo, Dana (2001-04-23). "Kobe's mystery marriage". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  15. ↑ "Superstar Kobe says 'I do' and little else". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 2001-04-26. p. 39. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  16. ↑ "Reports: Kobe Bryant gets married". Tulare Advance-Register. 2001-04-22. p. 17. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  17. ↑ "Vanessa Bryant - La biographie de Vanessa Bryant avec Gala.fr". Gala.fr (in French). 31 March 2020. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  18. ↑ "Shaq is a Dad Six Minutes After Kobe". Contact Music. May 2, 2006. Retrieved May 25, 2007.
  19. ↑ Drysdale, Jennifer (December 8, 2016). "Kobe Bryant and Wife Vanessa Welcome Third Child". Yahoo!.
  20. ↑ Harris, Sarah Jane (December 8, 2016). "Kobe Bryant welcomes his third child". sportingnews.com.
  21. ↑ "Kobe Bryant Shares Adorable First Pic of Newborn Daughter Bianka". Entertainment Tonight. December 21, 2016.
  22. ↑ Adams, Char (July 4, 2019). "Meet Baby 'KoKo!' Kobe Bryant Officially Introduces His 'Little Princess' — Daughter Capri Kobe". People.
  23. ↑ "Kobe Bryant's Wife Vanessa Gives Birth, Welcomes Fourth Daughter". Us Weekly. June 21, 2019.
  24. 1 2 "Tears for Kobe: Wife files for divorce". Visalia Times-Delta. 2011-12-17. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  25. ↑ Wiggins, David K. (June 2021). "Kobe Bryant's Second Act: a Brief but Beautiful Post-basketball Life". Journal of African American Studies. 25 (2): 265–284. doi:10.1007/s12111-021-09541-7. ISSN 1559-1646. S2CID 237931985.
  26. ↑ "Kobe Bryant carries guilt over wife's miscarriage, blames rape allegations: 'The reality is it happened because of me'". New York Daily News. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  27. ↑ Rachanee Srisavasdi, Kobe Bryant settles lawsuit brought by ex-maid, Orange County Register (May 26, 2010).
  28. ↑ Rojas, Rick; Winton, Richard (2011-12-20). "Bryant's wife stands to receive a windfall". The Sacramento Bee. pp. C3. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  29. ↑ "Kobe, Vanessa Bryant call off divorce". The Fresno Bee. 2013-01-16. pp. VB4. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  30. ↑ Schrotenboer, Brent. "Kobe Bryant's widow wins key court ruling in lawsuit over photos of human remains from helicopter crash". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  31. ↑ "Vanessa Bryant awarded $16 million in Kobe Bryant crash photos trial". NBC News. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  32. ↑ Abrams, Jonathan (March 2023). "Vanessa Bryant Settles Helicopter Crash Photos Lawsuit for $28.85 Million". The New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Vanessa Bryant plans to give verdict proceeds to Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation". Los Angeles Times. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
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