Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward and his girlfriend, Monique Cook, welcomed another baby two years after the death of another child of theirs.
The couple previously had a child, Amani Joy, who was born prematurely in November of 2022.
Amani, who had Down syndrome and heart issues throughout her life, died just days before her second birthday in late October 2024.
Now, the couple have celebrated the arrival of their son ‘Chosen Mani Ward’ with a post from Cook announcing his birth on October 7. The NFL star left a comment underneath, writing ‘Say Twinnnnn.’
In the first image, Chosen is wearing a onesie with the words ‘Baby Brother’ stitched on the chest. Chosen does have an older sibling, Charvarius Jr – who was born in late December 2024.
Chosen’s arrival is welcome news after Ward revealed his heartbreak on social media after Amani’s death.
Indianapolis Colts star Charvarius Ward welcomed another child with his girlfriend
Ward and his partner, Monique Cook, welcomed a son – Chosen Mani Ward
The news comes nearly two years after the death of their baby girl, Amani Joy
‘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 via 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 never publicly divulged the cause of death for Amani, but did reveal her history of medical problems.
Over a year after her death, Ward wished her a ‘happy heavenly birthday’ before admitting he hasn’t been happy since her death: ‘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.’
Ward was playing for the San Francisco 49ers at the time of Amani’s death. The following offseason, he signed for the Colts.
‘You know, I’ve got a lot of trauma in California,’ he said in January 2025. ‘There were great times, but the worst thing that’s happened to me — that’s probably ever gonna happen to me, knock on wood — happened in California.’
He continued: ‘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. I go through that every night by myself because my girl doesn’t want to come back to California because of what happened.’
