Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant would have turned 43 on Monday. Kobe's widow, Vanessa Bryant, took to Instagram to share a simple yet truly heartbreaking message to her late husband on his very special day.

Vanessa needed just nine words to express her love to the late, great Kobe Bryant (via Vanessa Bryant on Instagram):

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant)

Loosely translated from Italian, Vanessa's message goes a little something like this in English:

“Happy birthday, Papi. I love you forever. Eternal love.”

This just brings back all the feels. Vanessa also added in a broken heart emoji at the end of her caption to express how much she's still hurting from Kobe's untimely passing. On his birthday, of all days, Vanessa fondly and heartbreakingly remembers the love she shared and continues to share with the Lakers icon.

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The fact that Kobe Bryant would have just been 43 years young on Monday makes this even more tragic. Truly, we lost one of the good ones way too soon.

Players from around the NBA also commemorated Kobe on his birthday. Lakers superstar LeBron James was just one of a multitude of personalities in and around the NBA that heaped praise on Kobe Bryant on his special day as they celebrated the life he lived and the legacy he left behind.

Happy birthday to the GOAT. Rest in peace, Mamba.