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“Why Is Mommy in a Wheelchair?”: Dwyane Wade’s Wife Gabrielle Union Was Bowled Over by Deep Meaning Behind Daughter Kaavia’s “Dark” Art

Dylan Edenfield
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Dwyane Wade WNBA: Connecticut Sun at Chicago Sky

Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union’s youngest daughter, Kaavia, is a budding artist. And the depth in the six-year-old’s art, derived from the way she perceives the world around her, has left her mother spellbound.

The artistic vision of her young daughter is a sight to behold, reveals Union. It won’t be a surprise that Kaavia is already creating thoughtful works of art as a six-year-old, considering what she was doing when she was three. Back in 2021, Union shared how surprised she was by Kaavia’s communication skills.

“Her being able to count, her being able to identify certain words on the page, her being fully potty trained and asking for privacy. I don’t know what milestone that is,” Union chuckled, stating Kaavia’s language skills “are off the charts.” Three years down, her artistic talent is possibly off the charts too. However, Union has also found some of Kaavia’s creations a bit “dark”.

Still in elementary school, Kaavia’s art exudes maturity beyond her age. Union explained how one piece from her daughter left her initially concerned.

After seeing Kaavia depict Union without the ability to walk in one of her sketches, the concerned mother quickly sought clarification. “Why is Mommy in a wheelchair?” she asked.

Kaavia’s response, however, quickly dispelled her worry. On the contrary, Union was proud of the beautiful thought process and emotion behind her daughter’s creation.

“Because I love you,” Union said, quoting her daughter. “Kaavia said, ‘I would love you, even if you [were in a] wheelchair, or…’ and then she turns it over and I’m not [in a wheelchair]. I can walk now. And she was like, ‘I love you just the same’,” Union added, while mimicking an act of crying, conveying her emotions at the time.

Already showing signs of growing up into a person with a beautiful and empathetic outlook toward the world, Kaavia has added another beautiful layer to the Wade family.

Union’s words capture it best: “Yeah, she’s pretty dang dynamic.” 

Kaavia seems to be a genius in the making. And knowing Wade and Union, they would not just be proud parents, but active ones, deeply involved in nurturing her inherent talents.

About the author

Dylan Edenfield

Dylan Edenfield

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Dylan Edenfield is an NBA journalist at The SportRush. He has written 500+ basketball articles for various websites since starting the venture in 2016, as a freshman in high school. Dylan has been a writer and graphic designer for PalaceofPistons.com, a Detroit Pistons-based Substack and podcast, since 2016. As an avid Detroit Pistons fan, contributing and building relationships with fellow writers truly sparked his love for NBA coverage. Dylan graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in December 2023 with a Communications major in Media Arts & Studies and a minor in Sports Management. Dylan hoped to combine these two focuses to break into the professional sports journalism landscape. Outside of sports, Dylan is an avid gamer and occasionally likes to try other art forms, including drawing and painting. When it comes to something he creates, Dylan goes the extra mile to ensure his work is as good as it can be.

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