Dak Prescott likely saved countless lives by speaking out about mental illness
When you’re the starting quar terback for “America’s Team,” as Dak Prescott has been for five seasons now, anxiety is part of the game. But when the 27-year-old Dallas Cowboy suffered two crushing blows — the loss of his mother, Peggy, to colon cancer in 2013, and the loss of his older brother Jace to suicide this April — he knew the anxiety and depression he was experiencing needed to be addressed.
But instead of caving into the stigma that sadly still haunts those suffering from mental illness — especially in the sports world — he bravely spoke out, granting interviews about how he recognized the warning signs of mental illness, and how he sought help from mental health professionals and support from friends and family.
“Mental health leads to the health of everything else,” Prescott told reporters early this season. “Before I can lead, I have to make sure my mind is in the right place to do that and lead people to where they want to be. I think that it’s important to be vulnerable, to be genuine and to be transparent. I think that goes a long way when you are a leader and your voice is being heard by so many and you can inspire.”
Too often we expect professional athletes to be wise beyond their years and “set a positive example” for youth both on and off the field. But Prescott, who grew up with brothers Jace and Tad in a trailer park in rural Louisiana after his parents divorced, has always turned adversity into an ally. His mother had a saying that he now lives by — “Faith. Fight. Finish.”
That’s also the name of the foundation Dak created. The Faith Fight Finish foundation invests in the future of youth and their families by helping them face adversity and offering assistance to help them with the fight against cancer and other hardships.
Dak, who is proud of his biracial heritage, has also been a leader on social justice issues, pledging $1 million to improve police training and address systemic racism.
That effort along with his brave efforts to shine a bright light on the needs of those 1 in 5 Americans suffering from mental illness have earned him a spot as a 2020 Texan of the Year finalist. Even before his brother’s tragic death, the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the strains of America’s new reality were increasing his anxiety and depression.
We know it’s been a tough year for Dak, especially with his season-ending ankle injury in October. But by encouraging others to talk with health care professionals, connect with family and friends, and face the early symptoms of mental illness head on — with strength, not shame — he’s likely saved countless lives, and in so doing made “America’s Team,” and all Texans, proud.