At a Glance
- Dwyane Wade turns 44 on Jan. 17, 2026, surrounded by wife Gabrielle Union and their five children
- The couple wed in Aug. 2014 and welcomed daughter Kaavia in Nov. 2018
- Wade has championed daughter Zaya since she came out as trans in 2020
- Why it matters: The retired NBA star’s public support spotlights modern parenting and LGBTQ+ acceptance
Dwyane Wade marks his 44th birthday on Jan. 17, 2026, with the same tight-knit crew that has filled his social feeds for years-wife Gabrielle Union and their blended brood of five children whose candid moments have made the Wades a go-to example of modern family life.
From Co-Hosts to Co-Parents
The pair first shared a microphone while hosting a Super Bowl party in 2007, but romance didn’t spark until 2009. A brief split in Jan. 2013 ended with a Dec. 2013 engagement, followed by an intimate Miami wedding in Aug. 2014. On Nov. 7, 2018, Kaavia James Union Wade arrived, joining siblings Dahveon, Zaire, Zaya and Xavier from Wade’s previous relationships.
Raising Zaya
When Zaya came out as transgender in 2020, Wade and Union stepped directly into advocacy mode. “She’s the strong one in this family. She’s a hero,” Wade told News Of Los Angeles in June 2021. “It’s our family’s job to make sure that we listen to her. We listen to the doctors. We ask questions and we formulate our own ideas of how Zaya should be and should be raised in this world and we don’t allow others to do that for us.”
Acceptance became routine. While accepting the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award for trans advocacy, Wade brushed off praise: “This is just part of the Wade family, all the things that we do … We feel that in this space to make the world a better place, you have to have acceptance.”
Snapshots Through the Years
- Oct. 2024: A bronze statue honoring Wade’s Miami Heat legacy was unveiled at the Kaseya Center; the whole clan turned out for the 003 Statues Are Forever Party with FWRD
- May 2024: Father-daughter date at Netflix Is a Joke Fest with Zaya
- Dec. 2023: The trio-Gabrielle, Zaya and Dwyane-hit the Out100 Celebration red carpet
- Aug. 2023: Induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame; Zaire, Zaya, Kaavia and Dahveon posed alongside Dad in classic navy blazers
Everyday Dad Duties
Between red carpets and Hall-of-Fame weekends, Wade’s feed fills with backyard swingsets, couch snuggles and courtside coaching. A Father’s Day 2025 post from Union saluted both her husband and her own father: “My husband fights daily for the freedom, rights, opportunities and peace of his children and others around the world.”
Kaavia, now 7, has inherited her dad’s selfie game. “I stole his ENTIRE face,” her Instagram caption jokes beside a shot of matching grins. Twinning outfits, beach vacations and holiday trips to Hawaii round out the scrapbook.
Pride on the Parade Route
Zaya and big brother Zaire marched in a Pride parade, echoing the family’s public stance. After Wade’s 2019 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Union posted: “Meet Zaya. She’s compassionate, loving, whip smart and we are so proud of her. It’s ok to listen to, love & respect your children exactly as they are.”
Looking Ahead
No milestone passes without documentation. Whether it’s Kaavia’s first red carpet at the 2019 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Sports Awards or Wade kissing Union courtside while Kaavia flashes her signature unimpressed stare, the family keeps the cameras clicking-and the message consistent: unconditional support, loud celebration and plenty of group hugs.
As Wade clocks another year, the snapshots keep coming, each frame reinforcing the mantra he spelled out for News Of Los Angeles: “She didn’t ask for this extra excitement in life … But she’s thinking about a larger community, and so I’m damn proud of her as a father.”
