The NFL player announced the death of his daughter, whom he shares with girlfriend Monique Cook, earlier this week

Hannah Sacks

Hannah Sacks is a writer/reporter for the Parents team at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since May 2023. Her work has previously appeared in The Toy Insider, The Toy Book, The Pop Insider, and Saratoga Living.

Published on November 1, 2024 11:13AM EDTCharvarius Ward and his daughter Amani Joy. Credit :

Terrell Lloyd via AP; Charvarius Ward/Instagram

Charvarius Ward is speaking out for the first time since announcing the death of his daughter Amani Joy.

On Thursday, Oct. 31, the San Francisco 49ers cornerback, 28, shared a photo of himself and his 23-month-old daughter Amani Joy on his Instagram Stories. In the picture, Ward and his daughter cuddle up together on a couch, with the little girl resting on her dad’s chest.

“My soul is bleeding. I need you Amani. You did not deserve this. 💔💔💔💔,” Ward wrote over the picture, adding the song “Death Ain’t Easy” by Lil Durk.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Charvarius Ward’s Instagram Story with daughter Amani Joy.

Charvarius Ward/Instagram

On Tuesday, Oct. 29, Ward announced the death of his daughter Amani Joy, whom he shares with his girlfriend Monique Cook. Sharing a photo of his daughter on his Instagram, Ward wrote that his family was “heartbroken” as they processed the tragic news.

“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 in the caption.

“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,” he ended his post.

On Wednesday, Oct. 30, Cook spoke out for the first time, sharing a photo on her Instagram Stories with a brief statement.

“My baby. God why ? 💔💔,” Cook wrote. She also reshared Ward’s post from Tuesday, Oct. 29, in which he announced the death of their daughter.