Once upon a time in football heartland, Solomon Thomas was lost in a sea of uncertainty. His mind became a dark and dangerous playground, consumed by anxiety, depression, and despair, a kind of struggle that would put even the toughest of NFL linebackers on their knees. As he grappled with these emotional demons, he was united by a familial tragedy - the passing of his older sister, Ella.
Ella's unexpected journey out of this world occurred in 2018, when she was only 24. She had been her own mental health warrior, trying to overcome debilitating bouts of sadness and fear. Solomon, then in his post-rookie NFL glow with the San Francisco 49ers, found himself adrift in a vast sea of grief and regret.
