Vanessa Bryant celebrates daughter Natalia as she graduates from high school

Ronnie Koenig

The oldest daughter of the late Kobe Bryant, Natalia Bryant, is now a high school graduate! The future is looking bright for the 18-year-old, who was accepted to her dream school, the University of Southern California, earlier this spring and also signed a modeling contract.

Natalia's mom, Vanessa Bryant, celebrated her daughter's milestone on social media.

"Daddy, Mommy, Gigi, Bianka and Capri are so proud of you @nataliabryant!!!" the proud mom posted on Instagram Friday, alongside a video clip of a bejeweled mortarboard bearing a quote attributed to her late husband on it. The quote, signed "Dad," reads "Everything negative — pressure, challenges — is all an opportunity for me to rise."

The Bryant family attended the commencement ceremony and celebrated Natalia's accomplishment together.

"Graduated!!!" Natalia posted on Instagram, sharing a picture of herself standing with her cap and gown and smiling.

Her little sister, Bianka, got in on the celebration, holding up an enlarged photo of her big sister.

"Go Nani! Congratulations @nataliabryant!" mom Vanessa captioned the cute pics and video of the 4-year-old.

Vanessa also shared more pictures from the graduation including one of Natalia's "pod" cheering her on.

"Grad Pod (A2-4)" she posted, along with a prayer hands emoji. Fans will know that 24 was one of the jersey numbers Kobe wore with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Vanessa also shared a snapshot of Natalia looking happy and confident next to several colorful balloons.

The Bryants unexpectedly lost Kobe and 13-year-old daughter Gigi in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Last month, Vanessa and Natalia honored Kobe ahead of his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

As part of the ceremony, Vanessa and Natalia appeared at the Tip-Off Celebration to receive a jacket and ring for Kobe. Natalia honored her dad that day by wearing the jacket and ring next to the other inductees.

In March, Vanessa told People about the “unimaginable pain” she experienced after the tragic death of her husband and daughter.

"This pain is unimaginable," she said. "You just have to get up and push forward. Lying in bed crying isn’t going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again … But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that’s what I do."

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