Although Charvarius Ward’s 49ers ended up losing their Super Bowl LVIII to his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs. Ward did experience a breakthrough in personal life last year. After it was confirmed that his 1-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, Ward was waiting for some good news.

From the moment Amani Joi was born in November 2022 to Ward and his longtime girlfriend, Monique Cook, things weren’t easy for the couple, as their daughter had two holes in her heart. At 4 months old, she had to go through an open-heart surgery to improve her deteriorating health. Although the surgery was successful, Ward was devastated at not being able to bond with his daughter while his girlfriend continued to support him through this rough patch.

Who is Monique Cook?

Hailing from Ward’s hometown, McComb, Mississippi, Monique Cook is renowned for being the 49ers CB’s girlfriend. They also share a special child who is diagnosed with Down’s syndrome and has a heart condition. Although there isn’t much information available about Cook’s background or the professional career she pursues. Ward decided to open up about the improvement his daughter has shown in recent weeks.

Sharing those insights with the San Francisco Chronicle, Charvarius Ward stated, “It’s made my heart bigger. I was never mean to my mom as a kid. But I’m nicer to my mom. I’m nicer to all the women around me. I try to treat people a little bit better. Because, obviously, she has Down syndrome. 

Due to her special condition, Ward remains tensed about the life Amani will have to experience as she continues to grow up. Adding to his thoughts, the 49ers CB said, “And she’s probably going to have a little mistreatment going through life with a disability. People might try to bully her a little bit. So I just want to treat people well and, hopefully, people will treat her good.” Although it remains to be seen how Amani will be treated as she continues her battle against Down syndrome.

Ward has since talked about the positive impact of his daughter, “The past month, my daughter has started smiling when she sees me and coming to me more. At first, she used to love her mama so much. I couldn’t really get close to her. Now, since she turned 1, she has started to smile every time she sees me.” Even Monique spoke about the impact Amani has on her husband after she started showing signs of improvement.

How did Charvarius Ward meet Monique Cook?

When Ward was still playing for the Chiefs in his first chapter in the NFL. He came across Monique Cook for the first time after their Super Bowl win in 2020. Since then, the couple has been inseparable, with their bond growing stronger than ever after Amani came into their lives. Even though his daughter suffered from multiple health problems, she has since shown signs of recovery that impacted the 49ers CB’s performances.

“It was a huge change in his mood. His confidence changed. He was a lot happier. He comes in every day, and she lights up. She’s smiling. She hears his voice, and she will literally look around like, Where is this man?” shared Monique. Well, the 49ers CB also shared his happiness after his daughter started showing affection towards him. “Now I play with her and crawl around with her every time I get home. Ever since we’ve had that relationship. I swear I’ve been playing a whole lot better,” Ward expressed.

But can the 49ers cornerback continue his strong performances last season by helping his team mount a Super Bowl revenge against the Chiefs? Only time will tell whether the 49ers can reach the final round and get their unfinished job done.