Dak Prescott does not post much on social media.
When he does, it’s usually a shoutout for a company or product he endorses.
The Dallas Cowboys quarterback, however, broke with tradition Tuesday when he replied to a hardcore fan in Ohio.
“Stay Strong and Embrace those tough Dark moments!” Prescott replied on Twitter. “You’ll find out how Strong you are!”
He was replying to Megan Cichocki, who had posted an emotional message on Twitter about 24 hours earlier. The 30-year-old superfan from Toledo, Ohio, didn’t tag Prescott or use his Twitter handle in the message, which would typically make it a lot easier for him to spot her message. Cichocki suspects Prescott’s brother Tad, who is very active on Twitter, showed him the message.
“I wish someday I could meet Dak, just so I could thank him for inspiring me to keep going on my darkest days,” Cichocki posted Monday morning. “Right now included. It’s wild how a person that will never know you exist can save your life.”
Prescott knows she exists now and so do his 1.4 million Twitter followers.
Cichocki has struggled with depression and anxiety and found inspiration in Prescott’s past openness about his own mental health issues.
“Watching him open up about his mental health was a relief to me that is hard to explain,” she said via email. “Someone with his strength both mentally and physically being able to speak on the importance of mental health only made my love, admiration and respect for him grow.”
Cichocki finds stress relief in her “Cowboys Twitter family,” a place she often uses to vent her frustrations.
“There are days I wake up and struggle. When I’m struggling the most I remind myself that I’m not alone,” she said. “Dak pushes forward, so can I.”
Cichocki received a notification when Prescott posted his message — because of course she has Twitter set to notify her any time Prescott posts a message — but didn’t realize it was a message to her.
“I had no idea it was me. Then my phone starting blowing up,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it. I was driving and had to pull over I was so emotional. I still can’t believe it.”
She was left speechless, in tears, and had to pull her car over to gather herself.
“I know Dak is incredibly quiet when it comes to the media so I know how rare this is. I’m shocked. If you know me, you know he’s my hero,” she said. “I feel so blessed and appreciate him doing this more than anyone will ever understand.”
