“Kobe loved him very much”

Vanessa Bryant talks about the death of Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe Bryantat the age of 69. The businesswoman delivered a touching tribute after hearing the news of his death on Tuesday afternoon.

Vanessa posted an emotional message on social media. “We send our condolences after hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing,” she wrote in her Instagram story.

“We had hoped things would have turned out differently. Even though we spent little time together, he was always sweet and kind. Kobe loved him very much. Our prayers are with the family,” she said.

© Ethan Miller

She seemed to have hinted at her relationship with her father-in-law. The celebrity couple married in 2001 without the consent of the athlete’s parents, Joe and Pamela. The couple did not attend the wedding at the time.

In 2013, Pamela attempted to auction off the athlete’s memorabilia without his consent, which caused problems in their relationship. In 2016, Kobe spoke about his estranged relationship with his parents, revealing that they had not spoken to each other in three years.

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“Our relationship sucks,” he told ESPN in 2013. “I say (to them), ‘I’m going to buy you a very nice house, and the answer is, ‘That’s not good enough’ … then you sell my shit?” Kobe explained, speaking about the dispute.

As the Philadelphia Inquirer reported, their relationship was difficult even after the star built a Hall of Fame career in the NBA.