San Francisco 49ers players are mourning the death of the 1-year-old daughter of defenseman Charvarius Ward

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The young daughter of San Francisco 49ers linebacker Charvarius Ward has died after battling heart problems.

Branch posted on Instagram that his daughter, Amani Joy, died on Monday morning. She was supposed to be 2 years old in November.

“We are devastated that our beautiful daughter Amani Joy passed away on Monday morning,” Ward wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “She was the best blessing we could have asked for, and her joyful 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 courage. 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 girl. We will miss you and love you forever, Amani Joy.

During a December appearance on former teammate Arik Armstead’s podcast, Ward explained that Amani Joy was born with Down syndrome and two holes in her heart, one of which required surgery.

The Niners, who bid farewell this week, said in a statement Tuesday that the organization was “devastated” by her death.

“Amani truly embodied pure happiness and brought joy to everyone around her with her sweet demeanor and contagious laugh,” the band said in a statement. “We will continue to mourn Charvarius and Monique and send them our love and support during this unimaginable time.”

Throughout his breakout 2023 season, in which he earned his first Pro Bowl nod and was a second-team All-Pro member, Ward repeatedly pointed to the birth of his daughter in 2022 as his inspiration.