Kobe Bryant's Sister, Sharia Washington Inks Numbered Tattoo on Her Back to Honor Brother and Niece

Kobe Bryant's older sister, Sharia Washington, reveals her new tattoo in honor of her brother and her niece, Gianna, who tragically passed away last month.

Following the unexpected deaths of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, tributes and prayers have continued to pour in from all around the world.

In a most recent post on Instagram, Sharia Washington shared a picture of her new tattoo honoring her big brother, Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.

The photo showed her tattoo of a black mamba snake wrapped in an infinity symbol around the numbers '2' and '24.' The numbers represent Gianna and Kobe's jersey numbers, and the snake symbolizes Kobe's nickname "the Black mamba."

The inking was located on Sharia's left shoulder blade, and in the caption of the post, Washington simply appreciated the tattoo artist for a job well done.

In an open letter he penned to himself in 2016, Kobe made reference to how his monetary success played a role in amplifying the tensions between himself and his family.

According to PopCulture, Sharia, along with Bryant's other sister, Shaya, released a statement on Instagram, mourning the deaths of their brother and niece, stating that their lives had been "changed forever."

In addition to the heartfelt statement released by the grieving sisters, Daily Mail reports that Sharia also shared a collection of photos of herself and Kobe over the years.

As known to many, Kobe had a complex relationship with his family, especially his parents. However, that seemed to be on the mend at the time of his memorial.

InTouch Weekly explains that Bryant had a rocky relationship with his family over the years. In an open letter he penned to himself in 2016, Kobe made reference to how his monetary success played a role in amplifying the tensions between himself and his family.

Despite sharing a passion for the game of basketball with his parents, Joe and Pamela Bryant, the NBA champion admitted in his letter that the game often came between the family.

During an interview with ESPN in 2016, the Lakers star admitted that he hadn't spoken to his parents in three years. He referred to their legal dispute in 2013 when his parents fought him for the right to sell off some of his memorabilia that was in their possession.

Though Joe and Pamela tendered an apology to their son after the matter was settled, the star athlete still referenced the "challenges of mixing blood with business" in his open letter months after.

Amid all the drama, Kobe always sought to bridge the gap between himself and his family in the best way that he could.