"Bet on yourself" - Vanessa Bryant finds tremendous support in Ciara Wilson after husband Kobe Bryant's death
Life has been very tough for Vanessa Bryant since the death of her husband, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, and their daughter Gianna.
Life has been very hard for Bryant since the tragedy, but she has found someone to lean on in Ciara Wilson. Ciara is the wife of Denver Broncos star quarterback Russell Wilson.
Ciara came to court on Monday to show support for her friend. Vanessa Bryant took the Los Angeles County Sheriff's and Fire departments to court. They shared photographs from the January 2020 helicopter crash that left Kobe and Gianna Bryant dead.
PHOTOS: Ciara and Monica attended court today, beside Vanessa Bryant in the case of Kobe Bryant's crash site photos. https://t.co/W2e4Ye50kE
Ciara Wilson and Vanessa Bryant have been close since 2020. The pair are often seen on social media having sleepovers and game nights with their children.
Vanessa Bryant awarded damages in Kobe Bryant lawsuit
On Wednesday, a federal jury awarded Vanessa Bryant $16 million. This was due to the emotional distress caused to her by the leaked photos of her deceased husband and daughter. The photos were taken and shared by emergency personnel at the scene.
The nine jurors unanimously reached a decision after deliberating for four and a half hours. They ultimately reached the verdict on August 24, otherwise known as Kobe Bryant Day, owing to his jersey numbers - 8 and 24.
Vanessa Bryant testified during the 11-day trial.
“I live in fear every day of being on social media and these popping up. I live in fear of my daughters being on social media and these popping up.”
In her deposition, she said that she learned of the crash on social media.
"I was holding onto my phone, because obviously I was trying to call my husband back, and all these notifications started popping up on my phone, saying 'RIP Kobe. RIP Kobe. RIP Kobe.'"
The co-plaintiff in the case, Chris Chester, was separately awarded $15 million as part of the verdict.
Kobe Bryant was 41 at the time and their daughter Gianna was 13 when the helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California in January 2020. Chris Chester, the co-plaintiff in the case, lost his wife Sarah and daughter Payton in the crash. Pilot Ara Zobayan also died in the incident.
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