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[Saba Sports News] Vanessa Bryant has spoken out about the death of her father-in-law, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant.
Joe Bryant, a former NBA player and father of Kobe Bryant, passed away at 69 after suffering a massive stroke.
In an Instagram Story post on Tuesday, Vanessa, Kobe’s widow, addressed his death:
“Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing,” Vanessa wrote. “We hoped things would’ve been different. Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around. Kobe loved him very much. Our prayers go out to the family.”
Kobe had a tumultuous relationship with his parents, Joe and Pam, largely due to their disapproval of his relationship with Vanessa. Kobe met Vanessa in 1999, and they married in 2001, but his parents did not attend the wedding. Their relationship remained strained over the years with several public disputes, and they never fully reconciled before Kobe’s death in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Despite these issues, Vanessa is extending her condolences after Joe’s passing.