Kobe Bryant‘s sister, Sharia Washington, has come into the spotlight after revealing a beautiful tribute she made to her late brother and her niece, Gianna Bryant, in the weeks after their tragic deaths. Though Kobe was not close with their parents after a falling out in 2013, the Los Angeles Lakers icon absolutely adored Sharia and their sister, Shaya Tabb. The proud mom of three children, two daughters and a son, the fitness guru and businesswoman lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband, Brandyay entrepreneur Jerrod Washington. Here’s what else you should know about Sharia:
1. She got a tattoo in honor of her brother and niece. Count Sharia among Kobe and Gianna’s loved ones to pay tribute after their deaths with a heartfelt tattoo. Sharia’s ink is a large black mamba snake shaped like an infinity symbol. The snake is wrapped around #2 and #24, Gigi and Kobe’s jersey numbers. Vanessa Bryant absolutely loved the tattoo. She posted about it on Instagram, writing, “(My sister-in-law got this cool tattoo to honor #GigiBryant and #Kobe) ❤️❤️ 2~24 forever. Love you @shariawash – ❤️”.
2. She works for SUN50, a company that makes clothing with UV protection. Sharia is the director of corporate sales and partnerships at SUN50. “As an athlete and certified trainer, my goal is to educate youth and young adults about the importance of being proactive when it comes to sun protection and prolonged UV exposure. I enjoy working with non-profit organizations, business, and athletes to provide sun protection solutions with unrestricted mobility to optimize performance,” she wrote in her profile on the company’s site.
3. She’s a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer. Sharia was a Division One NCAA athlete while playing volleyball at Temple University, and has 20 years of volleyball coaching experience. While working at her current job, she’s also a trainer at Las Vegas Fit Body Boot Camp, and shares tons of videos and pics on Instagram of her clients’ progress. She also has a Zumba teacher certification.
4. She co-founded the Serve Receive Foundation. “My passion is working with young women in sports, which is why I co-founded the Serve Receive Foundation in Las Vegas, Nevada. When you empower young people on the court they feel empowered off the court,” Sharia said in her SUN50 profile. Many of Sharia’s clients at Las Vegas Fit Body Boot Camp are, in fact, young girls.
5. She and sister Shaya Tabb were very close to Kobe. Sharia and Shaya released a statement after Kobe and Gigi’s deaths on behalf of themselves and their parents, Joe and Pam Bryant, saying they were “devastated” after the January 26 helicopter crash. “Our lives are forever changed,” this sisters wrote. In the weeks following the tragedy, Sharia has consistently posted sweet photos of her brother and niece on Instagram, and changed her Facebook profile photo to a black circle.