49ers CB Charvarius Ward is mourning the death of his young daughter

SANTA CLARA – The daughter of 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward died Monday morning, he announced on Instagram today.

Amani Joi Ward has struggled with heart problems since birth and underwent open heart surgery on April 11, 2023, about six months after she was born prematurely with Down syndrome.

Ward's Instagram post featured a picture of him with his firstborn daughter and the following caption:

“We are heartbroken that our beautiful little girl Amani Joy passed away on Monday morning. She was the best blessing we could ask for and her cheerful spirit had us smiling from ear to ear. She taught us patience, trust and a positive attitude to life. She showed us true strength and bravery. From a young age, she overcame adversity, was always happy, and lit up any room with her smile. The privilege of being their parents and seeing the world through their eyes has changed us for the better. She will forever be daddy's best friend and mommy's little girl. We will miss you and love you forever, Amani Joy.”

A cause of death was initially not known.

The 49ers (4-4) are in their bye week, giving Ward time to grieve with his family. The 28-year-old Ward played all but four defensive snaps in Sunday night's 30-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

The 49ers released a statement Tuesday: “The 49ers family is devastated by the sudden death of Charvarius Ward's beloved one-year-old daughter, Amani Joy. Amani truly embodied pure happiness and brought joy to everyone around her with her sweet demeanor and infectious laugh. We will continue to grieve with Charvarius and Monique and send them our love and support during this unimaginable time.”

Ward spoke about his daughter's condition last season, and last December he detailed her heart condition while appearing on then-teammate Arik Armstead's podcast.

“She was born with two holes in her heart,” Ward told Armstead. “The doctor said, 'If the holes close, she'll be fine.' One of them closed and the other continued to expand and grow larger until it reached the size of a fist. … They said we need to do the operation as quickly as possible. That was scary because it's a really difficult operation. And it’s your child, you just have compassion for it, it’s out of your hands, there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Ward credits his success as the first Pro Bowler last season to a growing bond with his daughter.

“It was my conscience,” Ward told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan last season. “Why can’t I connect with my daughter? This is my seed. I couldn't identify with her at all and it hurt my feelings. It bothered me a lot. I'm not trying to apologize, but since we've gotten closer, I'm on the ball. A big thank you to God and my daughter for making this relationship good.”

Since arriving as a free agent in 2022, Ward has started every game except for the 49ers' Oct. 10 win in Seattle, when he was scratched before the game due to a knee injury. He played his first four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and has reached a conference championship game in each of his six seasons through 2024.

Ward is still looking for his first interception of the season, although coach Kyle Shanahan said he had his best games of the season in the last two games after missing the 49ers' Oct. 10 win in Seattle because of a knee ailment.

With Ward understandably taking 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 managed five interceptions and 23 pass breakups, a career-high, last season, and his family's influence reflected his success on the field.