Dwyane Wade’s Tattoo For Gabrielle Union Proved To Be The “Best Bday Surprise”

Even in retirement, NBA vet Dwyane Wade is still scoring slam dunks. In honor of wife Gabrielle Union’s 50th birthday, not only did the basketball star plan an elaborate family getaway to Africa, but he also got a surprise tattoo to commemorate the milestone occasion: Union’s initials and a heart on his wrist. And, yes, her husband of eight years’ eternal ink inspired pretty much the precious reaction you might expect.

In a Nov. 10 Instagram video, the Bring It On alum was filming Wade’s tattoo reveal when someone else captured the moment she realized what he’d done. After her mouth dropped open, Union jumped up and gave him a kiss, as several others let out “awws” in the background. “The moment you find out your man has made you his 17th [tattoo],” she captioned the reel, adding that it was “his best bday surprise” while they were in Capetown, South Africa. The video even showed an excited reaction from their 4-year-old daughter, Kaavia James, whose name is already immortalized in her dad’s body art.

Their “Wade World Tour 2022” had already been a dream come true for the actor, whose milestone birthday occurred on Oct. 29. Earlier on their trip to several African countries, which Union has been documenting on social media, her family threw her a lavish party in Tanzania, complete with dancing, champagne, and even a performance by ’80s singer Lisa Lisa. As Union wrote in an Oct. 30 Instagram caption, the fact Wade was able to get “THE” Lisa Lisa “to come all this way” was “unreal.”

“I’m still processing the level of effort and planning that went into pulling off such an unbelievable 50th birthday party in Zanzibar Tanzania and keep the details a surprise from my nosy self. I’m beyond grateful for all of my loved ones who flew around the world to celebrate with me,” she added. “Thank you Lisa for being so amazing to my Mom & reminding me that your childhood heroes can turn out to be as lovely as you imagined them. I’m just floating on gratitude ... I’m the happiest seasoned gal around.”

She wasn’t the only birthday girl on the trip, though: Kaavia turned 4 on Nov. 7. Naturally, her parents posted some sweet tributes to her, too. “Happiest of birthdays to my little brown girl with a soul wise beyond her years and a brain and spirit that is so open and free you inspire literally everyone around you,” Union captioned her Instagram post. “Watching you turn 4 years old in #SouthAfrica after traveling through three other countries throughout Africa has been one of the biggest blessings of our lives ... May the ancestors hold you close and guide you the rest of your days.”

Naturally, “shady baby” had to get in her own hilarious take, too — well, sort of. “I turn 4 today. I’m serious about my birthday and gluten and dairy free cupcakes ain’t it,” she wrote on “her” Instagram account, before joking that Union and Wade “still have time to get me a pony.”

Yet again, the “way of Wade” is all love.