Athletes are humans too, who, just like us mere mortals, have their own mental battles. While everyone expects them to shine brighter than a diamond, even they, like any diamond, have rough patches. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott shares this sentiment and recently posted a thoughtful message on Instagram to celebrate Men’s Mental Health Month.
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Prescott openly speaks up about mental awareness, a topic close to his heart after seeing his brother get consumed by it. Therefore, to spread awareness about men’s mental health in Men’s Mental Health Month, the NFL star talked about the silent battles that men face and how often they go unnoticed.
Sharing a carousel of pictures, each with quotes, the Cowboys QB highlighted how hard it is for men to talk about mental health openly. The post briefly blamed society for the mental conditioning of men by asking them not to “Man Up” but to “Speak Up.”
The next picture then went on to mention devastating statistics about how suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50, with 525,000 men every year, 10,096 every month, 1,442 every day, 60 every hour, and one every minute, to be exact, who take their lives, unable to grapple with the pain.
The post did, however, end on a positive note, sharing that “it’s not unmanly to struggle,” and encouraging everyone to “check in on the men around you.”
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It was certainly a crucial point made by Dak Prescott, considering the star QB lost his brother in a battle against mental health. Jace Prescott, unfortunately, committed suicide on April 23rd, 2020, at the age of 31. He had been dealing with mental health issues after losing their mother to colon cancer in 2012.
Dak Prescott Is an Advocate of Mental Health
Dak Prescott has witnessed personal loss more than once, and he certainly has a burden whenever he takes on the field as the quarterback of America’s Team. He grappled with depression following the passing of his brother, Jace.
The NFL star then launched the Faith Fight Finish Foundation to “empower individuals, families, and communities to find strength through adversity.”
The 30-year-old Cowboys QB has been an active advocate of mental health struggles and how much people need to speak up. He has also donated $2.1 million to the Children’s Cancer Fund while helping launch mental health services for pediatric cancer patients.
That being said, it cannot be discounted how much struggle Dak himself has to go through as a quarterback in the NFL. Although players learn how to ignore the surrounding skeptics while focusing on their battles, it undoubtedly takes a mental toll on them.
However, like Dak, one should learn to fight back in the face of adversity. Despite all the struggles, he has positioned himself as one of the standout QBs in the league, even leading the MVP contention last year for a while. He is the perfect example of someone who continues to fight both on and off the field.
