Dwyane Wade fears for transgender daughter’s safety

NBA legend Dwyane Wade says he has sleepless nights over the dangers his children face when going to school in the midst of gun violence in the United States.

On May 24, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers after opening fire inside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. It was the second deadliest shooting at a K-12 school in the United States since 2012, when 26 children and adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

It was at least the 30th shooting at a K-12 school in 2022, according to a CNN tally.

“My kids going to school right now doesn’t allow me to sleep at night very well because of guns,” Wade told CNN’s Poppy Harlow at the Time 100 Summit. “Guns have not been a positive for my family at all. I’ve lost a few cousins to gun violence.

“I grew up in the inner city. I had a lot of cousins that were in gangs that I lost, but I lost a lot to senseless acts of gun violence. My cousin was taking her kids to school and got gunned down and so, for me, when you’re a parent everything goes out the window of whatever your thoughts are, your beliefs are.”

Growing up, Wade says it was thought that being at school was “the safest place to be” for children. He believes that is no longer the case and says his thoughts are often consumed by what could happen to his kids at any moment.

Sitting at the Summit in New York, he admits feeling afraid at being so far away from them in their Los Angeles home.

The former Miami Heat star, who amassed three NBA championship rings and 13 All-Star appearances during a 16-year, Hall-of-Fame-worthy career, recalls recently attending his daughter’s school recital. Wade says he was so preoccupied with a potential shooting that he was unable to enjoy the performance.

“A beautiful recital, these kids have worked amazing,” he recalls. “They’ve worked hard for this, but the whole time all I could think about is my exit. All I could think about is what I’m gonna do.

“My daughter’s backstage, my son’s right here. ‘How do I get out, but how do I get to them? How do I protect them? How do I get them out?’ I’m just thinking about that the entire time.”

Source: CNN