San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward announced Tuesday his 1-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, has died.
Ward, 28, memorialized the girl, who would have turned 2 on Nov. 17, in an Instagram post.
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“We are heartbroken that our beautiful baby girl, Amani Joy, passed away on Monday morning,” Ward captioned a photo of the smiling girl. “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,” he added. “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.”
Ward didn’t share any exact details on what led to his daughter’s death.
The Pro Bowler had previously spoken about his daughter having Down syndrome on top of being born with two holes in her heart, one of which required surgery, and being born five weeks early.
Ward credited his bond with Amani Joy for reducing his overall stress and allowing him to reach new levels on the field.
“I play with her and crawl around with her every time I get home. Ever since we’ve had that relationship, I swear I’ve been playing a whole lot better,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area last December.
“Having the privilege of being her parents and seeing the world through her eyes has changed us for the better,” he said Tuesday of he and his girlfriend, Monique Cook. “She will forever be daddy’s best friend and mommy’s little girl.”
Ward, who played college football at Middle Tennessee State, signed with the 49ers in 2022 after four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
