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PITTSBURGH — May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and one of Pittsburgh’s poorest children is working to break the stigma.
Former defensive player of the year and Super Bowl champion Aaron Donald is bringing that message to area kids.
As athletes, are always looked at as the macho guy or the tough guy who doesn’t show emotion and holds things back, Donald told Channel 11 exclusively. But you have to be able to share, you have to take things out of your chest, you have to be vulnerable sometimes, cry if necessary.
On the field, he’s a menacing defensive end who pulverizes opposing quarterbacks, but that’s just part of who Donald is.
Im so much more than that, said Donald. A lot more goes into who I am as a person.
He is sharing that message with people of all ages, especially young athletes here in his hometown.
I think as kids, we don’t realize how big a role your mental health plays in your day-to-day, says Donald.
Through his foundation, AD99 Solutions, Donald works with teenage student-athletes as part of his annual mental flex forum. The goal is to help them focus on their mental wellness and develop healthy ways to stay focused on and off the field.
I ant a professional at all when we talk about mental health, said Donald. But I’ve been through a lot, I’ve been through a lot. I’m not perfect at it, I’m still interacting and trying to get better at it. But all I can do is give them tips that have helped me.
He emphasizes the importance of speaking up and speaking up when you’re struggling, even if you don’t think you can find the words to do so.
Having someone to have an outlet to talk to, even if that’s just you talking to yourself through self-motivation, or whatever the case may be, said Donald. Not trying to hold it in and keep it bottled up but being able to talk takes the stress out of your mind or your heart.
That message of telling someone you trust that you’re dealing with something is already a fun one.
Sports demand a lot from an athlete and so you don’t want to get distracted by what’s going on outside of your life or something that really affects your life in a negative way, said AD99 Solutions Prep Forward student Enysah Roberts.
We are that empowerment, that empowering leader for everyone, our community and people outside of our community, added Prep Forward Student Makalah Small McCray. So having people like us, speak for the youth and be a part of the youth is really big and impactful.
For Donald, hosting events like the Mental Flex Forum and having healthy conversations aren’t the only things he calls a true blessing. Something he feels is a responsibility.
It’s bigger than football, Donald said. There are bigger than sports seasons. Because all of this can be translated into, in life, you know, and that’s the main goal.
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