Wife of MBA legend Vanessa Bryant has made her first public comment following the death of her 41-year-old husband Kobe Bryant and her 13-year-old daughter Gianna.

In an Instagram post, Bryant expressed gratitude toward the open overflowing of anguish and condolences that came after the awful helicopter accident on Sunday that claimed her family members.

“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.”

She continued: “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.

To end the statement, she asked for “the respect and privacy we will need to navigate this new reality.”

Vanessa Bryant married Kobe at age 18 when he was 22 years old. His parents objected to their young son tying the knot so soon, but the couple has stayed together 19 years, and the long-standing differences with the parents were reportedly being reconciled. Vanessa filed for divorce in 2011, but the couple publicly reconciled two years later.