Gabrielle Union-Wade/Instagram
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Gabrielle Union paid tribute to her husband, Dwyane Wade, on his 44th birthday on Jan. 17
The actress shared a heartfelt Instagram post, a video montage, in honor of the former NBA star
The pair tied the knot in 2014 after first meeting in 2007
Gabrielle Unionis sharing her immense love for husbandDwyane Wadeon his birthday this year.
Union, 53, posted a video tribute via Instagram on his 44th birthday on Saturday, Jan. 17. The video featured a montage of clips of the former NBA star over the voices of women saying, "I love you, Black man" — a viral trend in which users post messages expressing appreciation for Black men.
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She captioned her post, "Happy Birthday Baby. 44 never looked so good ❤️@dwyanewade."
Union and Wadetied the knotin 2014. They first met in 2007 but didn't start dating for another two years. When they first crossed paths, Union hadrecently divorcedher first husband, former NFL player Chris Howard, and Wade was still married to his then-wife, Siohvaughn Funches, with whom he shares two children, Zaya, 18, and Zaire, 23.
Union and Wade went public with their relationship in 2010 and announced their engagement in 2013.
After getting married a year later, Union becamestepmomto Wade's two children with Funches, as well as his son Xavier, 12, whom he shares with Aja Metoyer. Wade is also the guardian of his nephew, Dahveon Morris.
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In November 2018, the couple welcomed their first child together: daughterKaavia James, 7.
Gabrielle Union-Wade/Instagram
Wade has previously said that he was smitten with Union from the moment they went on theirfirst date— so much so that he once admitted he "wasn't really listening" to anything she said during the evening.
"My wife's so beautiful, and so when she was talking, I wasn't really listening," he said while appearing as a co-host onToday with Jenna & Friendsin March 2025. "My apologies. I was just kind of looking at her eyes and her lips and all those things."
The father of five added that he does recall "that she was just so smart" and "intelligent" during their first date.
Gabrielle Union-Wade/Instagram
"I was very attracted to the intelligence of her mind, but it was unfair because I already knew her as an actress," he said.
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During an August 2025 appearance onMichelle Obama'sIMOpodcast, the actress said that it wasn't easy first meeting her now-husband's family, revealing that his mother and older sister were initially skeptical of their nearly 10-year age gap.
"With [his older sister] Tragil … she has been the protector... She has been the watchdog. She has been the gatekeeper to keep [Dwyane] sane and to keep him doing everything he needs to do without interference from anybody," Union explained.
"And before I got to the wife stage, like when we were just [at] the very beginning, I think Tragil and his mom were like, 'What do you want? Who are you, you older lady? What do you want?' "
However, theBring It Onactress said that everything worked out.
"It took some years, really, to earn their trust and also for them to earn my trust so we could be comfortable equally. Now, it's easy, because we are all on the same side," she said.
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