San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward is mourning the loss of his 1-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, who passed away after a prolonged battle with heart complications. In an Instagram post, Ward expressed that Amani was "the best blessing we could have asked for. ... "She taught us to have patience, trust, and a positive outlook on life. ... She will forever be daddy's best friend and mommy's little girl. We'll miss you and love you forever, Amani Joy." Born prematurely with Down syndrome, Amani underwent open-heart surgery in April 2023.
The 49ers have expressed their own sorrow at her passing, stating that Amani "truly embodied pure happiness and brought joy to all those around her. We will continue to grieve with Charvarius and Monique, while sending them our love and support during this unimaginable time." The 49ers are in their bye week. Ward has proven to be a critical member of the team since joining in 2022, having started all 41 games and earning second-team All-Pro honors last season. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)