Vanessa Bryant celebrates daughter Capri’s first birthday with photo featuring Kobe

‘We miss you SO much Gigi and Daddy,’ writes Vanessa

Vanessa Bryant has celebrated her youngest daughter’s first birthday nearly five months after the death of her husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna.

On Saturday, the mother of four shared a heartfelt birthday tribute to her daughter Capri on Instagram as she turned one year old.

Vanessa posted a throwback photo of herself and Kobe dressed in all-white that showed the LA Lakers star cradling his newborn daughter, whose middle name Koko-Bean is a namesake for her late father.

“Happy 1st Birthday Capri! Mummy, Daddy, Nani, Gigi and BB love you SO much!!!” Vanessa captioned the post.

“God Bless you sweet princess. Capri Kobe Bryant a.k.a. ‘Koko-Bean’ named after her dearly missed daddy, Kobe Bean Bryant.”

She continued: “We miss you SO much Gigi and Daddy.”

When the couple first welcomed Capri last June, the Kobe announced the news on Instagram, writing: “We are beyond excited that our baby girl ‘Koko’ has arrived!! #bryantbunch #4princesses #blessed.”

Last month, Vanessa shared the moment that Capri took her first steps. The 38-year-old posted a video of the accomplishment on her Instagram, writing, “My baby!!!! So proud of my Koko Bean. Capri took her first steps from her auntie Sophie to mama today.”

In the video, Vanessa reaches out her arms to Capri, who walks cautiously towards her mother while holding a toy. “I’m so proud of you!” Vanessa exclaims in the clip. “I knew you were gonna do it! [sic]”

Vanessa also recently shared a photo of her holding Capri wearing a pink dress and commented on just how much she looks like her late father.

“Capri looks just her daddy (in Gigi’s outfit)!” she wrote in the caption.

The posts come five months after NBA legend Kobe, and 13-year-old Gianna, died in a helicopter crash on 26 January in Calabasas, California.

Vanessa Bryant recently shared a video on Instagram of Capri taking her first steps (Instagram: @vanessabryant)

The couple also have two other daughters, 17-year-old Natalia and three-year-old Bianka.

Kobe and Gianna were among nine victims who died in the crash. The incident also claimed the lives of baseball coach John Altobelli, 56, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa.

Basketball coach Christina Mauser was also among those lost in the tragic accident, while the pilot was identified as 50-year-old Ara Zobayan. Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton were the final two victims of the helicopter crash to be named.