Marshawn Kneeland was a soon-to-be father.
Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed the information on Wednesday (Nov. 12), asserting that Kneeland’s girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, is pregnant with the couple’s first youngster collectively, weeks after Kneeland took his personal life on the age of 24.
The Cowboys established the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund in his honor, aiming to assist help Mancera and the couple’s unborn youngster.
“We need to be sure that she’s taken care of and the newborn is taken care of for the remainder of their lives,” Schottenheimer mentioned.
In keeping with ESPN, Cable Johnson, the Cowboys’ director of safety, referred to as regulation enforcement and requested that they conduct a welfare verify on the second-year participant. He additionally knowledgeable police that Kneeland texted him on the night time of his dying, telling him that he didn’t need to go to jail.
“He despatched out some group texts which are regarding — in all probability psychological well being — however the group texts appeared to be saying goodbye — made some assertion about not in a position to go to jail or to jail,” Johnson informed Plano police dispatch, in keeping with audio obtained by ESPN via a public information request.
On Monday (Nov. 10), Mancera wrote a touching tribute to Kneeland on Fb.
“My candy child, phrases may by no means specific how damaged I really feel, you’re my every little thing. I’ll love you perpetually my stunning angel,” she wrote.
Mancera alerted authorities final week about Kneeland’s suicidal ideations and knowledgeable them he was armed with a gun. In keeping with officers, Kneeland was concerned in a short police chase close to The Star, the Cowboys’ headquarters, the place he crashed right into a pickup truck earlier than fleeing on foot.
Kneeland’s physique was discovered round 1:31 a.m. on Thursday (Nov. 6).
The Cowboys launched an announcement about Kneeland’s dying, writing, “It’s with excessive unhappiness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically handed away this morning. Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our group. Our ideas and prayers relating to Marshawn are together with his girlfriend Catalina and his household.”
The workforce plans to honor Kneeland on the sector for the rest of the season with a helmet decal. Throughout video games on Thursday, Sunday, and Monday, NFL stadiums noticed a second of silence in honor of Kneeland.
