Inside Vanessa Bryant's Friendship With Ciara
Vanessa Bryant experienced an unimaginable tragedy when her husband, NBA player Kobe Bryant, was killed in a helicopter crash. The accident, which took place in January 2020, also caused the death of Vanessa's daughter, Gianna, and seven others who were onboard. Following their deaths, Vanessa filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County accusing first responders of inappropriately capturing and sharing images of the crash with the media.
During the trial, Vanessa described the heartbreaking moment she found out about the crash, and revealed that she learned of the accident through social media notifications. "I was holding onto my phone, because obviously I was trying to call my husband back," she said (via The New York Times). "And all these notifications started popping up on my phone, saying, 'RIP Kobe. RIP Kobe. RIP Kobe.'"
Since then, Vanessa has seemingly leaned on her circle of friends for support. And one of these friends, singer Ciara, has been by her side through it all.
Vanessa Bryant and Ciara became close after Kobe's passing
It's unclear how long Vanessa Bryant and Ciara have been friends, but it appears the two became closer following the death of Lakers star Kobe Bryant. On the day of the crash, Ciara shared a heartwarming message to Vanessa on Instagram. "This news is heartbreaking. I am lost for words. Praying for @VanessaBryant, the Bryant family, and other families that have lost someone," she wrote.
Vanessa and Ciara's friendship continued to blossom, and in August 2020, the "Level Up" singer shared a photo from her time with Vanessa and her kids. "Seeing you and the girls smile makes my heart smile. You're the toughest mama I know," Ciara tweeted. "Seeing you put one foot forward each day is admirable. It ain't easy, but if I know one thing, Mamba Queen's capable of it all. Love you V." Vanessa would go on the duo's first selfie a month later, writing, "love you, C."
Since then, both women have made several appearances on each others social media accounts. From holiday vacations to slumber parties, Vanessa and Ciara's friendship appears to be stronger than ever.
Vanessa and Ciara's families are really close too
In addition to their adorable friendship, Vanessa Bryant and Ciara's families have built a strong bond as well. Ciara has become very close to Vanessa's daughter, Natalia Bryant, and has even appeared in dance videos with her on Instagram. The singer also gushed over Natalia while on the red carpet at the Met Gala. While speaking with Access Hollywood, Ciara called the model "a rockstar and a trailblazer." Ciara and her husband, Russell Wilson, were also in attendance when Natalia went to her senior prom in 2021.
Similarly, Vanessa has openly shared her love and support for Ciara's family. Following the birth of Ciara and Wilson's second child, Win Russell, Vanessa paid the couple a visit. Vanessa shared a photo of herself and the newborn on Instagram, and wrote, "Sweet Baby, Win," per Entertainment Tonight. To which Wilson commented, "The sweetest." Ciara and Wilson also accompanied Vanessa and her three children to Disneyland on Mother's Day in 2021. Most recently, Vanessa shared a selfie of herself, alongside Ciara and Wilson, and wrote, "Love you both."