Veteran defensive tackle Solomon Thomas is entering his ninth NFL season, but this will be the first playing for his hometown team. In March, the Coppell native took the opportunity to move back home, signing a two-year deal with the Cowboys in free agency. Even though Solomon has yet to take his first snap as a Dallas Cowboy, he has already started to make a strong impact off the field.
The Defensive Line, a suicide prevention foundation that Thomas co-founded, took to social media to break news that Thomas had donated $25,000 to Hill Country MHDD Centers to fund trauma-informed mental health services for residents and first responders impacted by recent floods in Central Texas.
In July, disaster struck Texas as widespread flooding took the lives of at least 135 people in the Hill County region. Thomas' donation to Hill Country MHDD Centers aims to help provide long-term resources to those who have been affected by the tragedy. Hill Country Mental Health and Development Disabilities Centers serve over 19,000 people annually across 19 counties, and helps provide outreach, counseling, and crisis stabilization.
The post includes a quote from Thomas:
"Mental health care isn't a luxury; it's essential, especially when trauma strikes."
Thomas has made mental health advocacy one of the focal parts of his life, shining light on the commonality of mental health struggles in youth, providing strategies and resources to help those dealing with issues, and continuous conversation surrounding his personal story of what he and his family went through.
