Vanessa Bryant shared a powerful tribute to Kobe on his birthday: 'I've been completely broken inside'

• Los Angeles Lakers and basketball legend Kobe Bryant would have turned 42 years old on Sunday.
• Bryant died in a helicopter crash on January 26. All nine passengers on the aircraft also died, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
• Vanessa Bryant, the wife of the late NBA icon, shared a moving tribute via her private Instagram account on Sunday to commemorate what would have been her husband's birthday.
• "Happy birthday. I love you and miss you more than I can ever explain," Bryant wrote. "I wish you and Gigi were here to celebrate YOU! I wish I could make you your fav food or a birthday cake with my Gigi."
• "Your thoughtful gestures and the amazing way you made us all feel is extremely missed. I picture your smile and wide big welcoming hugs daily," Bryant continued.
• "God I miss you both so much. Our lives feel so empty without you and Gigi. I've been completely broken inside. As much as I want to cry, I put a smile on my face to make our daughters' days shine a little brighter," she wrote. "I'm not the strong one, they are. They're strong and resilient. I'm sure you're proud of them."

—Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 23, 2020

• Read more:
• 10 photos show how Kobe Bryant loved being a dad to girls and urged his 'princesses' to play sports, including basketball
• How Vanessa Bryant became 'Queen Mamba'
• The incredible life of Kobe Bryant, the 41-year-old basketball legend who died in a helicopter crash in January