Caleb Harris
FRISCO, Texas — Everyone deals with grief, depression and anxiety differently in life, but sometimes the greatest thing someone struggling with these emotions can hear is that someone else dealt with a similar problem and found a way. to overcome it.
That was certainly the case for Dallas Cowboys International Fan of the Year, Eduardo Flores. He had the honor of announcing the first of the Cowboys’ two seventh-round picks (the 233rd overall pick) in 2024. NFL Draft live from Detroit last Saturday, and Flores spent some of his time in the spotlight to say, “I wouldn’t be here today without [Cowboys quarterback] Dak Prescott.”
On Friday night, he and Prescott met at the quarterback’s “Faith, Fight, Finish” Foundation Gala, an event to raise money for a variety of causes: colon cancer research, mental health, suicide prevention, to bridge the gap between law enforcement and their communities and help those facing hardships.
“This shows how important it is to speak out,” Prescott said Friday. “When you say something, believe in something and say something, if it hits the person, you’ve done your job. Don’t hesitate to speak from the heart. Me and my mission… is so that others don’t experience and feel the pain that My family and I felt it and spent it with my brother [Jace] personally. To be able to help prevent this [suicide] in different ways and to see it happen firsthand in the draft, letting the world know, is really special.
Flores referenced his father for his love of the Cowboys, who died in 2018 when Flores was just 19 years old, according to the Dallas Morning News. His father sparked his love for Dallas because he was a superfan, creating a 2016 Cowboys fan page. Since then, Flores has maintained the site in his father’s memory, which helps him deal with the pain of losing his father.
He credits Prescott with opening up in 2020 about anxiety and depression he grieved while processing the death of his mother Peggy, who died in 2013 from colon cancer, and the death of his brother Jace, who committed suicide. O NFL named Prescott the 2022 Walter Payton Man of the Year for the work the quarterback’s “Faith Fight Finish” foundation does toward his few causes: colon cancer research, mental health, suicide prevention, bridging a gap between the application of law and their communities and helping those facing life-challenging adversities.
Prescott fully felt Flores’ quick speech when he watched the video after receiving a text from his brother Tad, saying he plans to contact Flores in person.
“Yeah, it was special. It was super special,” Prescott said earlier this month at the Reliant Home Run Derby benefiting the Salvation Army when asked if he saw Flores’ message before Dallas’ draft pick. “That was one of those moments that hit you. You know what I mean? It all hit you. I didn’t see it live. I got the message. I think it came from my brother, Tad, and so to get it from him, and he said ‘look at the impact you have’ it was special, and I really think Tad reached out to them. Yes, let’s connect, and it was a great moment because that’s what I put a lot of pride and care into. Taking care to dedicate my time to sharing my story, inspiring other people, giving hope, and just hearing that firsthand on a stage like that was special.”
Being able to be a light to others through giving is something Prescott believes is a blessing.
“It’s huge,” Prescott said of making an impact through charitable work. . … “It’s something I’m very proud of. … I’m blessed.”
