An absolute tragedy befell San Francisco 49ers starting cornerback Charvarius Ward and his family, as their 1-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, suddenly passed away.
The team released a statement sharing their "love and support" for Ward and his girlfriend, 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.
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"We will continue to grieve with Charvarius and Monique, while sending them our love and support during this unimaginable time."
Ward shared the news on Instagram as well, showing a picture of a smiling Amani Joy with a heartbreaking caption.
"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. 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."
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The San Francisco Chronicle detailed Ward’s and Cook’s parenthood journey earlier this year, beginning with their fear after learning their baby had Down syndrome after a blood test, and a heart defect was spotted in an ultrasound.
Ward was the optimist in this situation, telling Cook that she would be a beautiful girl, and regardless of what happened, they would love and take care of her.
Amani underwent open-heart surgery 10 months after being born, and Ward admitted that seeing his baby at night when he would lay her down to sleep just filled him with joy.
"I put her down in her (crib) and she just looked at me and smiled," Ward said. "I was just like, ‘Damn, this is just beautiful.’ And I love that feeling that she gave me when she smiled."
It’s a devastating loss that, like the 49ers said, is unimaginable.
The 49ers are on their bye week this week, and it’s safe to say the team will be giving Ward as much time as he needs to grieve his loss.
Ward, a 28-year-old undrafted free agent, is in his seventh NFL season. He began his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, helping the team win a Super Bowl before joining the 49ers in 2022.
He was a second-team All-Pro corner last season after totaling five interceptions, 23 passes defended to lead the league and 72 combined tackles.
This year, Ward has five passes defended and 35 combined tackles through seven games.
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