Just 19 months before committing suicide, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland had lost his mother to an accidental drug overdose, according to reports.
Kneeland, 24, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound around 1:31 a.m. on November 6, Frisco Police said. Earlier, at around 10:39 p.m. on November 5, police had been engaged in a pursuit of Kneeland. Frisco police said that he had evaded state troopers and entered the city of Frisco.
Police called off the pursuit after losing the vehicle, only to find it later, crashed on the southbound side of the Dallas Parkway. Kneeland fled the vehicle on foot, and police established a perimeter. Officers also received information that Kneeland had been expressing suicidal ideations.
At 1:31 a.m., police found Kneeland dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Daily Mail reported that 19 months ago, Kneeland had lost his mother Wendy Kneeland, 45, to an accidental drug overdose. The newspaper reported that Kneeland spoke at his mother's funeral service in Wyoming, Michigan.
"It's crazy, growing up she was always there for me, always going to all my games, always there for me. It's definitely tough, you just never expect something like this. She would always help me with just life in general," he said, according to the Daily Mail.
"She was basically there for me for everything. If I could go back in time I would have definitely found a way for me to go see her, or her to come see me. It tore me apart, I can still feel her just training I can feel her presence there with me and I still do. I know she's still watching over me. I try to be strong as much as I can," he said.
The Daily Mail reported that on November 5 Kneeland had texted his girlfriend that he planned to "end it all." That information was later relayed to law enforcement.
"He was kind, determined, humble, and full of love. His light shone brightly in every life he touched, and his spirit will continue to live on through the countless hearts he inspired. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends, fans, and the community," Kneeland's family said in a statement quoted by The Daily Mail.
