On January 26th, Kobe Bean Bryant passed away. Today, the world celebrates what would have been his 42nd birthday. As a basketball player, he was a five-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, 18-time All-Star, and NBA MVP. Most importantly, he was a beloved father and husband.
Over his NBA career, Kobe Bryant has played alongside some NBA greats, including Shaquille O'Neal, Rick Fox, Steve Nash, and Pau Gasol. While Pau and Kobe won two NBA championships together, it was their friendship off-the-court that left a lasting legacy. After Kobe's passing, most recently, Pau was seen spending time on vacation with Kobe's wife, Vanessa, and his daughters. Users on the internet were reminded of their close friendship and praised Pau for his efforts to be there for Kobe's family. Today, as Kobe's absence is felt by the Bryant family on his birthday, Pau made sure to give Vanessa gifts that reminded her of the couple's happy moments.
In the first Instagram story post, Vanessa shows all of the gifts given by Pau and his wife, Cat. These gifts include a large Mickey Mouse statue made from different types of flowers. In her Instagram caption, she remembers Kobe, saying, "Kobe will always be the Mickey to my Minnie." Notably, Kobe, Vanessa, and the family have visited Disneyland a few times and have had many memorable moments.
Alongside the Mickey Mouse, flower displays are boxes of presents and a visible care package with different types of treats. In her next Instagram story, Vanessa posts a close-up of one item from the bundle of treats, a package of Sour Patch Kids. However, this isn't a regular package. Firstly, it's customized, saying, "only your favorites, forever." Furthermore, there are only red Sour Patch Kids displayed on the cover. As Vanessa explains, "my boo-boo ALWAYS gave me the first RED sour patch kid at the movies... always the little things that count so much."
Pau must have known that Kobe used to do this for Vanessa, so he decided to surprise her with only red Sour Patch Kids. Vanessa follows up by saying how much she misses Kobe Bryant. Ultimately, Pau Gasol put a lot of effort into providing a gift that Vanessa would love, but also, one that would help the family remember Kobe on his 42nd birthday.