Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
NFL Star Charvarius Ward Announces 23-Month-Old Daughter’s Death: ‘We Are Heartbroken’
NFL star Charvarius Ward announced that his 23-month-old daughter, Amani Joy Ward, has died after battling health issues.
“We are heartbroken that our beautiful baby girl, Amani Joy, passed away on Monday morning. She was the best blessing we could have asked for, and her joyous spirit made us smile from ear to ear,” Charvarius, 28, captioned a photo of the toddler via Instagram on Tuesday, October 29.
The San Francisco 49ers athlete went on to list all of the things that he loved about his daughter, whom he shared with partner Monique. “She taught us to have patience, trust and a positive outlook on life. She showed us true strength and bravery,” he wrote. “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,” Charvarius concluded. “She will forever be daddy’s best friend and mommy’s little girl. We’ll miss you and love you forever, Amani Joy.”
Shortly after the professional athlete issued the statement, several social media users took to the comments section to express their condolences. “Praying for you brother, may God make it easy on yall and grant you with patience,” one person commented. Another added, “No words can help. But dads everywhere are with you, hugging you and this angel of God.”
Charvarius did not reveal his daughter’s cause of death, though she suffered several health issues. Amani had dealt with heart issues since she was born and had open-heart surgery in April 2023 when she was six months old. Additionally, she was born premature with Down syndrome.
After Charvarius confirmed the news, the 49ers issued their own statement regarding Amani’s passing.
“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,” the statement read. “We will continue to grieve with Charvarius and Monique, while sending them our love and support during this unimaginable time.”
Seven months before Amani’s passing, Charvarius opened up about his daughter’s health while penning an Instagram post on World Down Syndrome Day.
“Amani Joy Ward has been the best blessing I could’ve asked for. I used to think Down Syndrome was a handicap but now I realize it is just a gift from God. Being Amani’s dad has taught me patience & how to surrender & let things be,” he captioned several adorable photos and videos of his daughter on March 21. “We couldn’t control whether she had Trisomy 21 but we can control our attitude about it. At first we went through feelings of sadness & anger but those feelings transformed into pure joy as soon as we laid eyes on her.”
While looking back on her heart surgery, Charvarius said Amani became the “happiest kid” after the procedure. “Amani is filled with pure joy & a contagious laugh. My baby makes me smile from ear to ear every time I see her. November 17, 2022, a star was born,” he concluded in the caption. “We love you AMANI JOY.”
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Life & Style does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.