(St. Stephens, WY) – Former National Football League (NFL) player Joe Fauria gave St. Stephens K-12 students something to smile about this week, after the tight end stopped by the school to speak on behalf of the #SameHere Global Mental Health Movement and the NFLPA.
Their visit was funded through a grant that was obtained by St. Stephens High School Counselor Lacy Cloud and elementary Special Education Teacher Tania Chavez.
The #SameHere movement, founded by professional sports executive and mental health expert Eric Kussin, aims to “normalize society’s perception of mental health and make it part of our everyday conversation,” and does so through motivational discussions led by Kussin and a number of celebrities/athletes and influencers, such as Fauria.
Fauria was a tight end for the Detroit Lions, scoring seven touchdowns during his rookie season, and also played for UCLA and Notre Dame.
He shared his story and mental health journey with St. Stephens students, and even brought along his service dog.
Check out some more photos of the presentation below.