Beacon of Hope: Dak Prescott opens up in name of mental health awareness
DALLAS (CBSNewsTEXAS) - Two football greats - including our own Dak Prescott - will share the stories of their family's tragedies Tuesday in the name of mental health awareness. Prescott and the New York Jets' Solomon Thomas will grace the state at the 14th annual Grant Halliburton Foundation luncheon to honor each of their siblings, who died from suicide.
"Mental health is like a club you never wanted to join, but thank God there's other members so that you actually have a place to share your grief," said Board Chair Polly Campbell.
The Beacon of Hope Community Luncheon is one of the Grant Halliburton Foundation's largest fundraisers and is expected to raise at least $350,000 for mental health education and resources.
It was established in 2006 in memory of its namesake. Halliburton was a Dallas teen and artist who died from suicide at the age of 19. The foundation works to help families and young people recognize the signs of mental illness.
"We need everyone to be equipped with those tools. Just start the conversation. Just be a listening ear at the least," said Vanita Halliburton, the teen's mother and Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of the Grant Halliburton Foundation.
They've reached more than 300,000 students, educators, and parents, teaching them the signs of suicidal ideation and how to seek help. They've created a free mental health navigation line to help callers find the right mental health resources. And they've created a Coffee Days support group for mothers and a Dad2Dad group for fathers.
"We just get to talk, and it's hearing a lot more so you don't feel so alone when your child is struggling, and that's helped tremendously," said volunteer Alyson Ray.
They said the mission is especially dire now, when teens and young adults are still struggling with the side effects of the pandemic. But they hope - with the help of stars like Prescott and Thomas - that the mental health stigma is starting to erode.
"One thing we know is that, brought out of the shadows and into the light, stigma quickly dies, and that's what we're trying to do and what the voices of people like Dak and Solomon will help achieve," Halliburton said.