Kobe met Vanessa on the set of a music video in 1999, when they were only 20 & 17. The duo engaged once she turned 18 and got married just 6 months later.
The couple had 4 daughters together. However, Kobe Bryant & daughter Gianna passed tragically in a helicopter crash.
Vanessa Bryant had dabbled in acting & as a make up artist, & found some high profile music video gigs, like Snoop Dogg & Ludacris'. She now manages the Kobe Bryant Estate & Kobe's partnerships, like with Nike.
She is graced with sympathy & support in general, but not without some trouble. She has received her share of criticism for receiving a $16 million settlement with taxpayer's money for her case against the LA County.
Several insensitive comments about her late husband Kobe Bryant's past life or the photos taken by emergency responders still cause her emotional distress & panic attacks.