NFL players to speak at Beacon of Hope event

By Juliette Coulter

NFL football greats Dak Prescott (pictured), of the Dallas Cowboys, and Solomon Thomas, of the New York Jets, will be the featured speakers for Grant Halliburton Foundation’s Beacon of Hope Community Luncheon on Tuesday, March 7 at the Omni Dallas Hotel.

Both young men are on a mission to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. Prescott has shared openly about his own mental health challenges. He established the Faith Fight Finish Foundation as a tribute to his mom, Peggy, who lost her battle with colon cancer in 2013, and its work also honors his brother, Jace, who died by suicide in 2020. Faith Fight Finish invests in a better future by empowering individuals, families and communities to find strength through adversity. Mental health and suicide prevention is one of the organization’s four main pillars of work, and Prescott’s goal is to champion every person struggling with mental illness by helping them to know that their life matters and that they are not alone.

Similarly, Thomas lost his sister, Ella, to suicide in 2018 and has spoken openly to his teammates, other players and the public. He co-founded The Defensive Line with his parents, Martha and Chris Thomas, and the organization focuses on mental health and suicide prevention. Off the field, Solomon has dedicated his life to sharing Ella’s story. His courage to vulnerably share his experience through national media outlets like CNN, ESPN, The New York Times and others has established him as a respected advocate in the field. Solomon was the recipient of the 2019 AFSP Lifesavers Award and works closely with the NFL to improve mental health programming in the league.

The Beacon of Hope Luncheon supports Grant Halliburton Foundation’s work to provide education, resources and support for children, teen and young adult mental health. Tickets are $225 per person, and sponsorships start at $2,500. To learn more and to purchase tickets, visit GrantHalliburton.org/boh.