Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward revealed he has struggled with happiness since the tragic passing of his 1-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, last October.
On Monday, marking what would have been her third birthday, Ward shared a series of heartfelt Instagram Story posts featuring photos of his daughter.
“Happy heavenly birthday, AMANI. I haven’t been happy since you left us. God was wrong for this,” the 29-year-old wrote.
Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward shared photos of his late daughter, Amani Joy, to mark what would have been her third birthday.
In another post, Ward wrote: “F–k Football. F–k this money. F–k any type of fame. Don’t care for none of it. Lost without my baby. Amani JOY Ward XOXOXO.”
Ward, 29, had previously revealed that his daughter, whom he welcomed with his fiancée Monique Cook, was born with Down Syndrome.
Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward shared a photo of cupcakes and balloons to honor what would have been his late daughter Amani Joy’s third birthday.
He added broken heart emojis to a picture of Amani sitting on his shoulders, and another image showed cupcakes and balloons topped with a No. 3 candle.
Ward and his fiancée, Monique Cook, got engaged in July. Last September, the couple announced they are expecting a baby boy in February 2025.
Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward and his fiancée, Monique Cook, shared the heartbreaking news of their daughter’s passing last October, while Ward was playing for the 49ers. The original Instagram post has since been deleted.
“We are heartbroken that our beautiful baby girl, Amani Joy, passed away on Monday morning,” Ward wrote at the time. “She was the greatest blessing we could have asked for, and her joyous spirit brought smiles from ear to ear. She taught us patience, trust, and a positive outlook on life. She showed true strength and bravery, overcoming adversity at such a young age, always lighting up every room with her smile.
“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.”
In January, the Pro Bowl cornerback revealed that he has been struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder following his daughter’s death.
“I get PTSD a lot,” Ward told reporters outside his locker, adding that he experiences “a lot of trauma” in California. “I be throwing up, waking up in the middle of the night all the time, sweating and stuff like that. It’s tough, it’s tough. But, you know, we’ll see how it goes. It’s gonna be interesting for sure.”
Ward is eligible to return from injured reserve this week against the Chiefs after suffering a concussion in a pregame collision with Colts tight end Drew Ogletree prior to the team’s win over Arizona on Oct. 12.
He previously won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs when Kansas City defeated the 49ers, 31-20, at Hard Rock Stadium in February 2020.
