This weekend, many NFL players will take to the field to play for more than just points and move up their team’s standings. For the eighth consecutive year, dozens of players will take the field with very special shoes for My cause, my crampons.
Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst regularly participates in this league-wide initiative. As a strong advocate for mental health, the Florida native has partnered with USAA this year and will represent their Face the fight campaign that “aims to raise awareness and support for veteran suicide prevention, with the aspiration of cutting the veteran suicide rate in half by 2030,” according to a release.
“I am honored to team up with USAA this year as the official partner of the NFL Salute to Service,” Hurst said. Living in the South. He added: “My father’s father was a marine sergeant. My mother’s father was a JAG in the Navy. Two of my best friends fly Black Hawks in the military. So, shedding light on a topic (about) people so near and dear to my heart is something I’m very proud of.
But erasing the stigma surrounding depression and suicide prevention is more personal than that. In 2016, while a student-athlete at the University of South Carolina, Hurst attempted suicide, as he tearfully detailed in this video which he achieved during his tenure as an Atlanta Falcon. “At that point, I just wanted to get out of it. I fought for so long that I wanted it to end. And for some reason I got a second chance at this,” he said in the video.
He later described it as “the best and worst thing that ever happened”, saying he felt God had given him a second chance at life and he promised himself he would make the most of this opportunity. opportunity. He thanks those around him, his trainer and his family for saving his life. That night was a wake-up call for Hurst. He stopped drinking, focused his energy on football, and got as strong and healthy as possible. His hard work and dedication paid off as in 2018, Hurst was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. When Hurst began his NFL career, he asked his parents to retire. He wanted to start a foundation focused on teen suicide prevention and he wanted them to run it. It is then that the Hayden Hurst Family Foundation was born.
“We have a program in South Carolina that helps these kids have the tools to deal with trauma in their lives. Because unfortunately, things happen in life, but if you’re in a better position when you’re younger to handle things when they arise, the older you get, you’ll handle them in a more positive light,” Hurst told us. But the foundation’s mission has expanded to also help prevent suicide among members of the military. “The more I talk to my friends who are in the military, who have served, who are veterans, the suicide rate is way too high for the resources we have at home for these guys. So I’m just going to keep talking about it, continuing to shed light. »
Hurst understands that his job means his life is very public, but at first he didn’t feel able to share his own mental health struggles. “I’ll be honest, it took me a few years to feel comfortable in my own life. skin to share this story… But for me, I knew the impact my story could have on people because I think my personal opinion, my anxiety, my depression and my suicide affects everyone in one way or another. ‘another one. So if I can come out and share my story, that’s totally fine with me because I’ve become comfortable in my own skin over the years. I know the power of my story, that people can relate to it. Even if there’s just one person who thinks “oh man, Hayden Hurst, he changed his life”. I can do it. I can take the first step. That’s why I do it.
That’s why this year’s partnership with USAA and Face the Fight is a perfect fit for Hurst’s My Cause, My Cleats. He can use his platform and voice to specifically help the men and women of our armed forces find the resources they need to improve their lives. USAA arranged for Hurst to meet with Army veteran Vernard Hines and Army Reservist Melissa Lopez to hear their stories about the impact their service had on their mental health. Hines said: “At one point I was 24 hours away from suicide. I had planned it. What pushed me to seek help was my 12-year-old daughter saying she was afraid of me.
Lopez, who lost a sister to suicide, said, “This coalition is important because of all the resources it brings to the table to Veterans.” Hines added: “Face the Fight brings together this camaraderie where we can share things and be like, you get me.”
Hurst said: “It’s the most liberating feeling to have people on your side. When you feel like you’re not fighting alone.
The NFL star found comfort in that common bond, but also said that hearing other people talk about anxiety and depression makes you feel better, less alone. “This stuff doesn’t necessarily go away. You find better ways to deal with it and deal with it,” he said.
When the Carolina Panthers take the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, December 3, Hurst will wear a pair of specially designed cleats that represent both Face the Fight and the Hayden Hurst Family Foundation. He displays the names of Hines and Lopez on the shoes, as well as the names and military ranks of several of his friends.
United States of America
“Normal Sundays are all about the team, your gifts, so this week allows me to represent my family and other people who have a special place in my heart. It will definitely be a great weekend.
