Charvarius Ward Welcomes New Son After Daughter's Death

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward and his girlfriend, Monique Cook, have welcomed a baby boy named Chosen Mani Ward. The arrival comes nearly two years after the couple lost their daughter, Amani Joy, who died in late October 2024, just before her second birthday.

Amani Joy, born prematurely in November 2022, had Down syndrome and faced health issues throughout her life. Her death prompted an outpouring of grief from Ward on social media.

"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," Ward wrote on Instagram at the time. "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."

He added, "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."

Ward, who was playing for the San Francisco 49ers when Amani died, later signed with the Colts. He expressed the profound impact of her death, stating over a year later, "God was wrong for this. F*** football. F*** this money. F*** any type of fame. Don't care for none of it. Lost without my baby."

He also spoke about the emotional difficulty of returning to California for games, citing the trauma associated with his daughter's passing. "It just brings back bad memories. Every time I get on a plane to come back to California, San Jose, here, it's just a bad memory," he said in January 2025. "I go through that every night by myself because my girl doesn't want to come back to California because of what happened."

Chosen Mani Ward joins an older sibling, Charvarius Jr., who was born in late December 2024. Cook announced the birth of their son on October 7, with Ward commenting "Say Twinnnnn."