The pregnant girlfriend of late Dallas Cowboys star Marshawn Kneeland has issued a desperate and heartbreaking plea for 'photos and memories' of the athlete, who died by an apparent suicide on November 6th at the age of 24.
Catalina Mancera shared her grief on Facebook, thanking the public for their support while asking for help in preserving the memory of the NFL player, whose death came just 48 hours after he scored his first professional touchdown.
A Heartbreaking Plea for Memories
Taking to social media, Catalina Mancera expressed her profound gratitude for the outpouring of love and prayers she has received. She revealed she is gathering as many photos and memories of Kneeland as possible to help honour his legacy and cope with her immense loss.
'If you have any pictures of Marshawn whether they're recent, old, funny, or meaningful, I would truly appreciate it if you could share them with me,' she wrote in her emotional post. Mancera explained that 'every photo helps me hold onto a piece of him and the beautiful impact he had on all of us.'
She concluded her message by thanking supporters for their kindness and for 'keeping my sweet baby in your hearts,' adding that 'it brings me comfort knowing how deeply he was loved.'
The Tragic Final Hours
The circumstances surrounding Kneeland's death are deeply tragic. It was Mancera herself who alerted police, warning officers that Kneeland was armed and she feared he would take his own life after he refused to pull over for a traffic violation in Frisco, Texas.
According to police audio dispatch, the situation escalated when the NFL star sent a 'goodbye' group text to his family. After police lost sight of his vehicle, Kneeland crashed into a pick-up truck and fled on foot. His body was later discovered in a port-a-potty in the early hours of November 6th.
In the days following the tragedy, Mancera, 22, spoke briefly of her 'raw agony,' telling the Daily Mail, 'It's too much. I'm grieving hard right now.'
Building a Legacy and Contradicting Narratives
Marshawn Kneeland and Catalina Mancera had been in a relationship since his sophomore year at Western Michigan University in her native Kalamazoo. His cousin, Nicole Kneeland-Woods, described their bond as 'very special,' noting they 'supported each other through many stages of life.'
Mancera, who recently founded the custom game day apparel company SZN Stitches, had already begun incorporating designs featuring Kneeland's name, photo, and his jersey number, 94.
However, the player's relatives have contradicted police assertions that he was suffering from mental health issues, a claim initially attributed to Mancera in official audio. This adds a further layer of complexity and sorrow to a story that has sent shockwaves through the NFL community.
The Dallas Cowboys are set to play their first game since the tragedy against the Las Vegas Raiders, as those who knew Marshawn Kneeland best seek to preserve his memory for the son he will never meet.
