“As your father, my job isn’t to create a version of myself or direct your future. My role is to be a facilitator to your hopes, your wishes, your dreams. Zaya, you’ve made me a better human by just simply being who you were born to be, our baby girl Zaya Wade.” These were the words Dwyane Wade told his daughter Zaya at the 2023 NAACP Image Awards. He stood beside his wife, Gabrielle Union, and accepted the President’s Award with deep sincerity. For Wade, fatherhood has never been about molding but about learning and, at times, unlearning.

Wade has four children, each with different paths. His oldest son, Zaire, pursued basketball, chasing a familiar dream. Meanwhile, Kaavia is still young but already brimming with potential. Then there’s Zaya, who challenged the world’s views, and even her father’s, just by being herself. When Zaya first opened up about her identity six years ago, Wade admitted he wasn’t ready. It wasn’t resistance, it was fear and confusion from a childhood that never taught acceptance.

Recently, Dwyane Wade gave a deep insight into how things were behind the scenes in his exclusive interview with The Atlantic. According to him, back when Zaya was born, Wade imagined a future with two sons in the NBA. “When I had two boys, I was like, I got two chances at the NBA,” Wade shared. For him, it was the perfect vision: two boys carrying on his legacy. But as Zaya grew, she showed no interest in basketball. Instead, she gravitated toward things that reflected her true self: heels, dresses, and wigs. Wade was forced to shift his expectations. For him, it was a process of learning how to be a father to a daughter with entirely different aspirations.

When Zaya admitted, “I was so scared,” Wade’s heart sank. She feared what he would think, and that fear was deeply rooted in their different worlds. This led Wade to make a decision: Should he continue to hand down the beliefs he got in his childhood, or should he work on it and evolve for his daughter? “I could tell she was terrified,” Wade reflected. That fear made him realize just how crucial his support was. Instead of resisting, Wade chose to grow, learning to understand Zaya’s journey while offering her unconditional love.

What makes Dwyane Wade and Zaya’s bond so strong?

“I lay across that bed, I sit there for hours and we communicate and we talk about all the things that are what you would perceive as comfortable or uncomfortable.” That’s how Dwyane Wade stays close to his daughter, Zaya. He creates a space where nothing is off-limits. Now seventeen, Zaya’s journey has been bold, brave, and full of purpose. So when senior photos rolled around, she had only one request for her dad: don’t cry.

Zaya Wade has never hesitated to own her truth, and the world has taken notice. She’s led the Translatable project and has walked red carpets with top designers. Recently, she received the 2024 Out100 Groundbreaker Award and landed the cover of Seventeen. But it was her Instagram post, “Senior pics 🖤 try not to cry, dad,” that hit differently for D-Wade. His comment? “Just proud that I get to see this day 😍.”

The pride goes far beyond academics or fashion. It’s rooted in resilience. At just 12, Zaya came out as trans, and her family stood by her, even relocating for her safety. Dwyane Wade once shared that Zaya has kept a perfect GPA, which he considers his proudest parenting moment. And her stepmom, Gabrielle Union, has also praised Zaya’s strength, calling her “ten toes down” in the face of pressure.

Interestingly, Union once admitted it was “scary” watching Zaya walk this path so fearlessly. In fact, Wade and Union even moved their family from Florida to California, citing legislation that made them fear for Zaya’s safety. It was a move many parents wouldn’t consider. But for them, it was never in question.

The 52-year-old actor shared how she is amazed by her stepdaughter’s courage. Zaya’s story is inspirational for many. And through it all, her dad’s emotional support remains a powerful reminder of what modern parenting can truly look like.

“She’s a fighter, and so I’m proud I raised a fighter, and I’m happy about that.”