San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward announced Tuesday the death of his 1-year-old daughter.
Ward posted on Instagram that his daughter, Amani Joy, died Monday morning. Amani Joy had been battling heart problems since birth. She would have 2 years old in November.
“We are heartbroken that our beautiful baby girl, Amani Joy passed away on Monday morning,” Ward wrote Tuesday. “She was the best blessing we could have asked for, and her joyous spirit made us smile from ear to ear. She taught us to have patience, trust, and a positive outlook on life. She showed us true strength and bravery. She overcame adversity at a young age and was always happy, lighting up every room with her smile. Having the privilege of being her parents and seeing the world through her eyes has changed us for the better. She will forever be daddy’s best friend and mommy’s little girl. We’ll miss you and love you forever, Amani Joy.”
Ward’s daughter was born prematurely in November 2023 and was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. During an appearance on former teammate Arik Armstead’s podcast in December, Ward revealed that his daughter was born with two holes in her heart and she had heart surgery in April.
“She was born with two holes in her heart,” Ward told Armstead. “The doctor was like, ‘If the holes close up, she’s good.’ One of them closed and the other kept expanding and getting bigger, to the size of a fist. … They were like, we have to do the surgery ASAP. That was scary because it’s a real serious surgery. And it’s your kid, you just feel for her, it’s out of your hands, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
The 49ers released a statement on Tuesday in support of Ward and his longtime girlfriend and Amani Joy’s mother, Monique Cook.
“The 49ers family is devastated by the sudden passing of Charvarius Ward’s beloved one-year-old daughter, Amani Joy. Amani truly embodied pure happiness and brought joy to all those around her with her sweet demeanor and contagious laugh. We will continue to grieve with Charvarius and Monique, while sending them our love and support during this unimaginable time.”
Ward, 28, is playing in his seventh NFL season. He’s in his third season with the 49ers after spending his first four seasons with the Kansas City.
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