College bound! Vanessa Bryant and Kobe Bryant’s 18-year-old daughter, Natalia, has been accepted into the University of Oregon.
“Congrats @nataliabryant,” the California native, 38, captioned a Wednesday, February 10, Instagram Story screenshot of the teenager’s acceptance letter.
Vanessa revealed her eldest daughter’s college choices last month. “So cute. NYU is one of her top schools,” the former model wrote via Instagram in January. “@nataliabryant chose not to apply [early decision] to her top five schools. I will do my best to keep her in Cali just like I kept her daddy, [Kobe Bryant], here. #CaliGirlForever.”
Natalia posed in both USC and NYU sweatshirts in the social media upload. When an Instagram user asked Vanessa if her teen had gotten into those schools, Vanessa replied, “Not yet. … She didn’t. She’s just wearing sweatshirts to her top schools.”
The high school student reposted one of the photos on her Instagram Story at the time, writing, “Fight on.”
Vanessa, who is also the mother of Bianka, 4, and Capri, 19 months, celebrated Natalia’s 18th birthday that same month. “Dear Natalia, Happy Birthday! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of the young lady that you are,” she captioned a January Instagram post. “You have displayed so much strength and grace throughout the most difficult year of our lives. Thank you for stepping in to help me with your little sisters. You’re such an incredible big sister and a beautiful role model to so many people. Thank you for being kind, polite and gracious in everything that you do. You have no idea how happy and proud mommy and daddy are that you’re our daughter. We love you always and forever, forever and always. Happy 18th birthday to our first born, Natalia, our principessa! Love always, Mommy, Daddy, Gigi, BB and Koko.”
The birthday girl commented at the time: “I love you to the moon and back @vanessabryant.”
Natalia’s big day came nearly one year after her late father, Kobe, and sister Gianna died in a helicopter crash at ages 41 and 13, respectively. The pair were killed in the Calabasas neighborhood of L.A., along with seven other passengers.
On what would have been the NBA player’s 42nd birthday in August 2020, Natalia shared a sweet throwback photo via Instagram.
“I miss your smile, laugh and big bear hugs,” she wrote. “Happy Birthday to the best movie buddy I could have ever asked for. I will always remember our late-night drives to the movie theater with the windows rolled down and listening to our favorite songs. I love you forever and always.”
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