Zaire Wade, Dwyane Wade’s oldest son, has always and will always have his younger sibling’s back, understood?
In a heartfelt letter Zaire penned to his Instagram page, he reminisced on how much be begged his mom for a sibling and promised to always look out for his “best friend.” He accompanied the post with an adorable photo of the two smiling as youngsters, with Zaire proudly holding onto his then-toddler sibling.
“Man, I remember bugging my mom as a kid telling her I wanted a brother so bad. I was the only child looking for company and someone to look after and take care of. I have been blessed to have my best friend, Zaya with me for 12 years,” Zaire wrote. “We did everything together…we fought, we played, we laughed and we cried. But the one thing we never did was leave each other behind… I’ve told you that I would lay my life down to make sure you are ten toes down and happy on this earth. I don’t care what they think Z, you are my best friend and I love you kid, and if it means anything, just know there’s no love lost on this side.”
The public show of support comes days after Dwyane Wade told Ellen DeGeneres that he’s proud of his 12-year-old who now goes by the name Zaya. Zaya was assigned male at birth and was formerly named Zion, but told her dad and family that she now wishes to be addressed as Zaya and by the female pronouns she/her.
Wade told DeGeneres his family fully supports Zaya and hopes this gives her the room to soar. He added that he is proud of his baby girl and considers her “a leader.”
“Once Zaya came home and said, ‘I want you to call me Zaya and I’m ready to take on this,’ I looked at her and said, ‘You are a leader. And this is our opportunity to allow you to be a voice,’ ” Wade said to DeGeneres. “Right now it’s through us, because she’s 12 years old, but eventually it will be through her.”
DeGeneres applauded Wade’s response and said more fathers should follow his lead.
“First of all, I think it’s what every parent should be is what you’re being right now,” DeGeneres told Wade. “Which is unconditionally loving your child and supporting your child in whoever they are.”
READ MORE: Dwyane Wade is proud of his child Zaya and wants her to ‘be her best self’
In addition to Zaya and Zaire, Wade is also father to Xavier Zechariah, 6 and Kaavia James, 15 months, and is the guardian of 18-year-old nephew Dahveon Morris.