“So cute. NYU is one of her top schools,” the California native, 38, captioned a Wednesday, January 13, Instagram post of her smiling daughter holding a binder and rocking a long-sleeve shirt from the Manhattan school. “@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.”

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A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant)

Vanessa’s eldest daughter flashed a peace sign while wearing a University of Southern California sweatshirt in another social media upload. “#Cali 4 Ever. #USC,” the former model captioned the Instagram post.

An Instagram user asked Vanessa, who is also the mother of Bianka, 4, and Capri, 16 months, whether Natalia had received her college acceptance letters. She replied, “Not yet. … She didn’t. She’s just wearing sweatshirts to her top schools.”

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A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant)

Natalia reposted the USC shot on her Instagram Story on Wednesday, writing, “Fight on.”

The high school senior also shared side-by-side photos of herself and her late father, noting their “crazy” resemblance at the same age. “Twinning is winning,” she wrote.

The Los Angeles Lakers player died in January 2020, alongside Vanessa and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other people in a Calabasas, California, helicopter crash.

Natalia honored the late athlete’s birthday in August 2020 by sharing a throwback photo via Instagram. “Happy Birthday, Dad,” she captioned the sweet shot. “I miss your smile, laugh and big bear hugs. 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. Always, Slim.”

Two months prior, she wished “the best dad in the world” a happy Father’s Day. “I love you. Always, Nani,” Natalia wrote alongside another throwback.

On what would have been her sister’s 14th birthday in May 2020, Natalia shared a photo of them hugging. “I miss your smile everyday but I know you’re always smiling down on us from heaven with daddy,” she wrote. “I LOVE YOU.”

While mourning Kobe, “no two days are the same” for his family, a source exclusively told Us Weekly in April 2020.

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Riley Cardoza