Vanessa Bryant pays tribute to husband Kobe and daughter Gianna in first statement since helicopter crash

Kobe Bryant's window, Vanessa Bryant, has paid tribute to her late daughter, Gianna, and husband following their deaths in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others lost their lives in a helicopter crash in the Los Angeles hills. He was a five-time NBA champion who played for the Los Angeles Lakers throughout his 20-year career.

The sporting world and beyond has been united in its grief at the loss of one of the greatest sportsmen of his era, and a man who also made a massive impact off the court.

The Bryant had four daughters including Gianna, and would have celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary this April.

On Wednesday, Vanessa changed her Instagram profile picture to a photo of Kobe and Gianna during an NBA All-Star game in 2016. Later in the day, she posted a family portrait with a tribute message honouring Kobe and Gianna, along with the other victims of the crash.

"My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time," she wrote.

"Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them. We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.

"We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately.

"There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.

"I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them. But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless — and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever.

"Thank you for sharing your joy, your grief and your support with us. We ask that you grant us the respect and privacy we will need to navigate this new reality.

"To honor our Team Mamba family, the Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy. To donate, please go to MambaOnThree.org.

"To further Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports, please visit MambaSportsFoundation.org.

"Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and me. #Mamba #Mambacita #GirlsDad #DaddysGirls #Family".

The Los Angeles Lakers held a media availability on Wednesday, the team's first since learning of Bryant's death.

The Lakers were to play against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, a game the NBA postponed out of respect to Bryant, the other victims and the grieving process. The Lakers will next play on Friday, at home against Portland.

Additional reporting by AP.