49ers CB Charvarius Ward seeks prayers as daughter undergoes heart surgery

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward is asking his social media followers for prayers.

"Pray for my lil one!! Open heart surgery today," Ward wrote via social media.

Ward's daughter was born in November, about five weeks ahead of schedule. The cornerback was in Colorado Springs, preparing for an international game against the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City, when he had to leave his teammates for Memphis, Tennessee, for the birth of Amani Joi.

While it was a joyous accession, it wasn't without some mixed emotions. Matt Barrows of The Athletic reported that Ward's daughter immediately needed oxygen to help her breathe.

"Ward said he was only able to hold her for a few minutes before she was hooked to tubes and monitors and placed in the neonatal intensive care unit," wrote Barrows.

The birth of his daughter immediately changed the cornerback's outlook on life.

"I feel like already my baby has given me more heart — more love in my heart, more love in my body," Ward told Barrows. "Not only for her but for other people as well."

Thoughts and prayers for Ward's daughter today.

Update:

Ward provided the following update.

"Thanks everybody for the prayers & support," Ward wrote via social media. "Amani is out of surgery and on the road to recovery. Thanks for the love."