SANTA CLARA – The daughter of 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward passed away Monday morning, he announced today on Instagram.
Amani Joi Ward battled heart issues since birth and had open-heart surgery on April 11, 2023, about six months after she was born premature with Down syndrome.
Ward’s Instagram post showed a picture of him with his first-born daughter and the following 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.”
A cause of death was not immediately known.
The 49ers (4-4) are on their bye week, allowing Ward time to start mourning with his family. Ward, 28, played all but four defensive snaps in Sunday night’s 30-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
The 49ers issued a statement Tuesday: “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 opened up last season about his daughter’s condition, and, last December, he detailed her heart defect while appearing on then-teammate Arik Armstead’s podcast.
“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.”
Ward credited a growing bond with his daughter for his success last season as a first-time Pro Bowler.
“It was on my conscience,” Ward told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan last season. “Why can’t I connect to my daughter? This is my seed. I couldn’t connect with her at all, and it was hurting my feelings. It was on my mind a lot. I’m not trying to make excuses, but ever since we got closer, I’ve been balling. Shoutout to God and my daughter for making that relationship good.”
Since arriving as a 2022 free agent, Ward has started every game except the 49ers’ Oct. 10 win at Seattle, when a knee injury made him a pregame scratch. He played his first four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and has reached a conference championship game in each of his six seasons entering 2024.
Ward is still seeking his first interception this season, though coach Kyle Shanahan said he’s played his best games of the season the past two games, after missing the 49ers’ Oct. 10 win in Seattle because of a knee issue.
If Ward understandably takes a bereavement leave, the 49ers’ cornerback corps is relatively healthy and well stocked, including Deommdore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Isaac Yiadom, Rock Ya-Sin and Darrell Luter.
He made a career-high five interceptions and a league-high 23 pass breakups last season, and his family’s influence reflected his on-field success.
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“When you’re not stressed at home, when everything is at peace and at ease on the outside, it will be easier in here,” Ward told NBC Sports Bay Area last season. “It definitely helped me out. When I’m clear and focused, I’m the best in the league, but when you get here and you have other stuff on your mind, it’s a hard job going against great All-Pro players.”
