> He called it a “conversation we don’t have often enough.”
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> What we know:
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> The Dallas Independent School District wants the topic of mental health to be a part of everyday conversations for its students.
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> The district teamed up with the Dallas Cowboys to try to reach student athletes and leaders who are often well-connected in their schools.
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> On Tuesday, Thomas spoke to a packed gymnasium at South Oak Cliff High School. He shared his own battle with grief and anxiety. Students also had a chance to ask him questions.
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> Dig deeper:
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> Thomas knows about the struggles of mental health first. His sister committed suicide when she was just 24 years old.
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> She was the same age as fellow Dallas Cowboys player Marshawn Kneeland, who took his own life on Nov. 6.
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> Thomas’ mother later founded a nonprofit to combat youth suicide.
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> What they’re saying:
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> “Coming here is definitely a little emotional. The feeling of loss trying to honor my sister, feelings of loss trying to honor Marshawn, which are very fresh,” Thomas said. “I want to make sure that no one feels the pain that they felt, the pain that my family feels, Marshawn’s family feels, because there’s way too many young people we lose to this cause.”
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> Thomas talked about his success with meditation and therapy. He also encouraged the students to be kind to others and to ask others how they are doing and whether they are okay.
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> “I wanted to put in their brains, ‘Hey, this is something we’re all going to have to deal with at some point in life. You have to talk about it.’ Give them key points. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to get help. Just to relate to them that I was once in their shoes,” he said.