In January of 2018, Solomon Thomas’s life altered irrevocably.
Thomas had recently finished his first season with the 49ers, who had drafted him third overall in the 2017 draft. As a rookie, the 6-foot-3, 280-pound defensive end recorded three sacks, eleven quarterback hits, and ten tackles for losses.
On the surface, he appeared to have everything going for him.
Thomas was visiting his parents in Dallas after the season, and they planned to meet his sister Ella for lunch.
It was a lunch that was never served.
The following morning, Thomas’ older sister, Ella, who was 24 years old and his best friend, took her own life.
“My mother and I chatted with her the night before,” Thomas recounted Tuesday over the phone. “We had planned to have lunch together tomorrow, but that meal never occurred. Ella committed suicide early the next morning. We planned to have lunch and discuss her job and what was next for her, told her we loved her, and went to bed assuming there would be another day.
Tomorrow takes on a whole new significance for Thomas, the defensive end for the Jets.
After a period of mourning Ella’s death, Thomas made it his life’s purpose to promote mental health awareness and eradicate the stigma around suicide, a taboo issue no one dares to discuss.
Thomas utilized his status as a professional player to establish “The Defensive Line Foundation,” an organization devoted to reducing the scourge of child suicide and normalizing its discussion. Thomas co-founded the organization with his parents and cousin.
Thomas was selected by the Jets as their nomination for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, the most prestigious off-the-field distinction in the league, because to his intense devotion off the football field.
In addition to brilliance on the field, the honor honours an NFL player for excellent community service initiatives off the field. On Tuesday, each of the league’s 32 candidates was unveiled. The victor will be revealed during Super Bowl week.
“Oh my, this is really a blessing and a fulfilling sensation,” Thomas said upon being named the Jets’ nomination. “The pleasure of receiving this title from my peers and coworkers means everything. They see how hard I work, how much I care about the community, how much I want to give back, and how much I want to make a difference.
“I think it to be the ultimate honor outside of playing in the NFL. I hold it in the highest esteem.
Giving back has always been in Thomas’ genes.
“My parents have always ingrained this in my sister and myself,” he remarked. Growing up in Dallas, we would usually rise at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning to feed the homeless at the Austin Street Shelter. It is what my parents have always desired for us to accomplish.
Thomas stated that his sister’s death “greatly intensified” his desire to give back and focus on mental health.
Since Ella’s death, I’ve realized the magnitude of the mental health and suicide crisis in the United States, as well as the severity of the situation, he stated. “My family exerted much effort in several areas, and we truly think we done everything possible for Ella. The more you learn about mental health, the more you think, ‘Well, maybe I should have done this or that,’ but that’s also how it is to deal with suicide, because there are so many ‘ifs and buts and maybes.’
This is a major focus of The Defensive Line: assisting individuals with ifs, ands, and buts, and letting them know that “it’s OK to not be OK.”
Thomas was not doing well following Ella’s suicide, stating, “My worst depressions happened after Ella’s death, although I’ve fought with anxiety throughout my life.”
As soon as the news of Ella’s death became public, Robert Saleh, his current head coach with the Jets and former defensive coordinator with the 49ers, reached out to him.
“I was depressed and holding everything in, and Coach Saleh reached out to me after Ella’s death to let me know he’s there for me if I need him; he’s got my back,” Thomas said.
Thomas also said that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch had a significant impact on his ability to deal.
Thomas stated that Coach Shanahan made large contributions to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Ella’s honor. “John Lynch did the same thing and urged me to pursue treatment, which became a significant part of my life and saved me.”
»Solomon Thomas is addressing the teenage suicide crisis in the U.S. following his sister’s passing«