Charvarius Ward in uniformCharvarius Ward (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
No family wants to ever experience the pain that Charvarius Ward is going through right now.

Star San Francisco cornerback Charvarius Ward, a second-team All-Pro last year, is dealing with an unimaginable hell after he lost a child this week.

The daughter of the 49ers cornerback passed away Monday morning, he announced today on Instagram.

Amani Joi Ward battled heart issues since she was born and was forced to have 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.”


The cause of death was not immediately known.


Charvarius Ward has plenty of time to grieve with his family now that the 49ers are on their bye week following a victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

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.”

The 28-year-old has been with the 49ers since 2022, having previously played for the Cowboys and the Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl with Kansas City.

Charvarius Ward Previously Spoke About His Daughter’s Condition

The San Francisco 49ers are in mourning, following Charvarius Ward, a defensive back, announcing that his 1-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, had died.

Amani had dealt with health problems since her birth in 2022.

In 2023, Charvarius Ward opened up about his daughter’s condition while detailing 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.”