Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Reflects on Losing His Mom to Colon Cancer, Says She Was ‘the Best’

Dak Prescott urges people to get tested for colon cancer.

The 30-year-old Dallas Cowboys linebacker joined on Friday TODAY where he spoke about his mission to raise awareness for early detection. Prescott’s mom, Peggy, died of colon cancer in 2013 while he was still in college.

When asked about his mom, Prescott said she was “the best.”

“Obviously, you can just tell [I’m] brighten up, get a chance to just talk about her,” he said. He added that she was “very selfless, hardworking, loved her boys, did anything for her three boys. I am who I am because of my mom.”

Dak Prescott named Walter Payton the Humanitarian of the Year after the deaths of his mother and brother

Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up on the sidelines during the game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas.

Richard Rodriguez/Getty

Prescott recently volunteered to shoot a PSA video in collaboration with the Colon Cancer Alliance’s Lead from Beyond campaign. The cheeky campaign, launched in 2022, raises awareness of the importance of colon cancer testing through humor, with past videos starring Ryan Reynolds and Terry Crews.

According to the National Cancer Institute, colon cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the United States.

In the latest video, Prescott explains how people can get tested either with a colonoscopy or an at-home test kit. “Take the sample container and put a label of something you want… on the bottom right side,” he says at one point.

“Obviously 30- and 40-year-old men, African-American, white, it doesn’t even matter,” he told TODAY. “If you’ve had health issues in the past, something with your stomach or any other concerns, you’re worried about the screening, I hope someone looks at it, I hope someone says, ‘You know, this is easier than I thought.’ ”

“At the end of the day, my purpose and my reason for being on this platform is not for football, it’s to share my story. It’s to inspire others,” he continued.

The touching reason why Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott writes to his late mother before every game

Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the national anthem before the NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks at AT&T Stadium on November 30, 2023 in Arlington, Texas.

Michael Owens/Getty

In February, Prescott was named the 2022 Walter Payton Man of the Year for his charitable foundation focused on cancer research, in honor of his mother, as well as suicide prevention, in memory of his brother.

The Walter Payton Player of the Year Award is given to an NFL player who demonstrates “his excellence on and off the field,” according to the league.

Prescott began by thanking everyone around him, from his father and siblings, to the Cowboys organization, to those who work at his foundation, called the Faith Fight Finish Foundation.

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“I want to acknowledge the person who has had the biggest impact on my life, my mother, Peggy,” he said. “My mother was, and still is, my moral compass. And through my own charitable contributions, I strive to share her strength and courage with the world.”

“She was one of a kind,” he continued, adding, “My mother inspired me and motivated me to be great despite my circumstances.”

Prescott also explained that he expanded his foundation’s work after his brother Jace died by suicide in 2020.

“But since the piece also honors my brother, Jace, who, as you saw, passed away by suicide during COVID 2020, I promised that it would be one life taken to save millions,” he said.

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Source: HIS Education