A touching tribute. Dwyane Wade described the “unconditional love” that he has for his 13-year-old daughter, Zaya.
The athlete, 38, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, December 20, that his love for the teenager comes “without strings attached,” explaining, “It’s love you offer freely. You don’t base it on what someone does for you in return. You simply love them and want nothing more than their happiness. This type of love, sometimes called compassionate or agape love.”
The former professional basketball player shared two photos of Zaya in the sweet social media upload. She looked straight at the camera in the first, wearing a red “Vibes” sweater. In the second, Wade and his ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches‘ daughter grinned in a floral dress with a book in her lap.
“Real [love],” Gabrielle Union commented on the post honoring her stepdaughter.
The actress, 48, shared a slideshow featuring herself and Zaya matching earlier this month, writing, “Always & forever. Love you. #twinningiswinning.”
The teen came out as transgender in February. While their family received a “calvary” of support after Wade’s announcement on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Union told Variety in May that they faced “hate” as well.
“It’s watching the love handle the hate that has been encouraging,” the We’re Going to Need More Wine author explained at the time. “We’re just loving and accepting our kids, which is not revolutionary. To some people it’s nuts. For those people who have spoken out so publicly against our family … I’m not standing on my own. The cavalry is arriving, and they are unafraid to stand in their truth and not be compromising when we look at right and wrong.”
Earlier this month, the Nebraska native said in an interview with Taraji P. Henson that Zaya’s “peace is non-negotiable” to her and her husband.
The L.A.’s Finest star and Wade are also the parents of daughter Kaavia, 2, and his sons, Zaire, 18, and Xavier, 7, whom the former Miami Heat player shares with Funches, 39, and Aja Metoyer, respectively.
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