Marshawn Kneeland's pregnant girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, is eager to embark on the journey of motherhood. Almost two months after the tragic suicide of the Dallas Cowboys defensive end at the age of 24, the entrepreneur shared a heartfelt message to their unborn child. "I dreamed of you long before I ever knew you," Mancera wrote on Instagram alongside an ultrasound photo. "I dreamed of building a family, of the life your dad and I talked about and imagined together. I'm so excited for you, but my heart still aches. It aches for the moments I won't get to share with him, and for the love I wish you could experience the way I did."
As she navigates through the grieving process, the founder of the custom game-day apparel business Szn Stitches finds solace in preparing for their June arrival. "I don't think time will ever make this easier, but I know God knew what my heart needed," she noted. "He blessed me with you when I needed you most. In the midst of all this, you've given me purpose, hope, and something to hold onto. I trust God's timing, even when it hurts, and I know He's carrying us both."
Although parenting solo wasn't in her initial plans, she summed up, "I promise to love you with everything I have for me and for your dad. I can't wait to meet you, to hold you, and to watch you grow. I love you already."
Shortly before Kneeland was found dead in Texas on November 6th, the athlete was involved in a high-speed car chase with authorities, driving upwards of 145 mph at different points during the pursuit, according to a police report obtained by multiple outlets. After crashing into another vehicle and fleeing on foot, Kneeland went missing for hours before Public Safety troopers and Frisco Police Department officers discovered his body, according to Texas DPS.
"My sweet baby, words could never express how broken I feel, you're my everything," Mancera wrote in a Facebook tribute days later. "I'll love you forever my beautiful angel."
Despite her loss, Mancera will undoubtedly be missing her personal MVP. The Cowboys' head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, detailed how the team plans to rally around her. "We've started the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, where we can all give and support Catalina," he revealed at a November 12th press conference. "She's pregnant, and so we want to make sure she's taken care of and the baby's taken care of for the rest of their lives."
Because Kneeland is still very much a part of their squad. "Our guys, it's very important to them and to us," Schottenheimer emphasized. "He's still part of the team."
