San Francisco 49ers player Charvarius Ward and girlfriend Monique Cook have been each other’s rock since welcoming their first baby.
The NFL cornerback and Cook sparked a romance in early 2020 after they exchanged messages on social media. The couple have since kept a low profile, but Cook gushed about her partner in February 2024, telling the San Francisco Chronicle, “If I’m sad or having a bad day, he knows what to say or do to make everything better.”
She noted how surprised she was to learn that a professional athlete could be so tender. “He’s just an all-around great guy. He’s funny. He’s hard working. He has so many great qualities. How could you not like him?” Cook added.
The couple’s strong bond was tested in November 2022 when their daughter, Amani, was born with Down Syndrome. “It’s made my heart bigger,” Ward told the outlet in the same February 2024 interview. “She made me not stubborn.”
Ward announced in October 2024 that Amani died one-month shy of her second birthday. “We are heartbroken,” he wrote via social media on behalf of himself and Cook.
Scroll down to see Ward and Cook’s relationship highs and lows:
February 2020
Ward met Cook after he won Super Bowl LIV while playing with the Kansas City Chiefs. Cook revealed that she thought he was “cute” after seeing him on social media in the Chiefs parade. (Ward signed with the 49ers in March 2022 after four years with the Chiefs.)
Ward confirmed to the San Francisco Chronicle in February 2024 that he DM’d Cook after she “liked” some of his social media posts and they soon began dating. The twosome bonded over being born in McComb, Mississippi.
November 2022
Amani was born on November 11 with two holes in her heart. While one hole closed, Amani, who was born with Down Syndrome, underwent surgery in April 2023 to close the second.
“He was telling me, ‘She’s going to be OK,’” Cook recalled to the San Francisco Chronicle in February 2024 of her boyfriend’s approach to their daughter’s challenges at birth. “‘She’s going to be beautiful. She’s going to be smart. And we’re going to love her, no matter what. Regardless of anything, she’s going to be good. And she’s going to be taken care of.’”
February 2024
The pair recounted their love story and journey with daughter Amani during a joint interview with the San Francisco Chronicle ahead of Super Bowl LVIII. Cook recalled how Ward changed in November 2023 after their baby smiled at him for the first time — including an uptick in his performance on the field.
“It was a huge change in his mood,” Cook explained. “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?’”
Ward, who lost the Super Bowl that year to his former Chiefs team, noted that his baby girl’s smile also improved his relationship with Cook. “I’m nicer to all the women around me. I try to treat people a little bit better,” he said. “Because, obviously, she has Down syndrome. 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.”
May 2024
Cook was by her boyfriend’s side when he opened up the McComb Auto Spa in his hometown of Mississippi.
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The pair revealed via Instagram that they are expecting their second baby. Cook shared a picture of a cake that read, “Coming February 2025” with a slice cut out that revealed they’re having a boy. The cake was accompanied by an ultrasound, according to Sportskeeda. “Lil Mooney Jr.,” Ward wrote in the comments section, referring to his nickname “Mooney.”
October 2024
Ward confirmed their daughter’s death via social media. “We are heartbroken that our beautiful baby girl, Amani Joy passed away on Monday morning,” he wrote in a tribute. “She was the best blessing we could have asked for, and her joyous spirit made us smile from ear to ear.”
The NFL star added: “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.”
