Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is a pillar in his community. Even though his career on the field has been marred by a lack of post-season success, his off-field work has made him an integral part of the Dallas Cowboys community. Last year, he received the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, a recognition reserved for only the strongest and most dedicated athletes working for social causes.
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Today, Dak has everything a young person would dream of, a high-earning job, a beautiful daughter, and a strong standing in the community. The millions of followers on social media don’t hurt either. But still, there’s a big gaping hole in his life. Prescott spends as much time on the field training, as he does off the field helping and building the community. His main goal is awareness and prevention of the deadly colon cancer. And it all goes back to the hole left in his life by the absence of his mother, Peggy Prescott.
In the same spirit on Monday, surprising the children of Gen and Jerry Jones Hope Lodge in Dallas, Dak Prescott brought a smile to many faces. In the video shared by his team the Dallas Cowboys, he also opened up about his new fatherhood and remembered his mother. A strong proponent of the awareness and early detection of colon cancer, Dak Prescott has made it his life’s mission to help families suffering from this deadly disease. Talking about his mother during the event, the new father of Baby MJ said:
“My mom gave me this message. You know, things are going to be hard. I would trade all of this to have my mom back. It’s hard to figure out how I want to act and what I want to say. It’s hard to hear the words my mom said and not get emotional. What’s hard is what these families are going through. That’s why I wanted to be here for them today,”
His foundation is called, Faith. Fight. Finish. has 4 main focus areas, colon cancer research, mental health and suicide prevention, bridging the gap between law enforcement and the communities they serve, and offering assistance to those facing life-challenging hardships. These might seem like unrelated issues but to Prescott, each issue holds a special place. Having lost his mother in 2013 to colon cancer, he wanted to work on creating awareness about it. Since it is preventable if diagnosed early, Prescott has been working diligently to educate the masses.
His organization also focuses on suicide prevention and mental health aid. This stems from the experience of losing his brother in 2020 to suicide. He was naturally heartbroken but wanted to bring help to those who could still be saved. As it all comes from personal loss and experience, this is not just his social responsibility but his tribute to the lives of his mother and brother.
Dak Prescott Has a Newfound Perspective In His Fight For Awareness
Having just become a new father, the Cowboys play caller seemed to have a new perspective on the fight of these children. With his mother’s fight and the fear of being a parent both now driving him forward, Prescott also reflects upon his newfound motivation. The former Mississippi State Bulldog said,
“Understanding that this disease has no boundaries, no biases, no demographic.. yeah, it’s scary. It’s scary. And as I said, having gone through it with my mother, I can’t imagine.”
While the rest of the world has been busy talking about his contract extension, Prescott is busy building his community, and family. Having become a father recently, Prescott has devoted himself to social work promoting children’s welfare. Along with his presence at the Children’s Cancer Fund’s Event on Monday, he will be seen alongside Troy Aikman, on their 34th Annual Gala, as the Honorary Co-Chair.
