Andrew DePaola My Cause My Cleats Honor Cousin

Andrew has been impacted by the loss of his cousin in more ways than one, and he’s proud of the mission behind Bo’s Effort.

“I think for so many years prior there was this thing, you know, ‘Don’t talk about it. Hide your feelings, hide your emotions, just bury stuff down deep.’ As we’ve seen, that really can lead to a lot more problems in life,” Andrew said. “It’s important to encourage people to talk about what they’re going through. That really can be it. That can really be what helps someone overcome what they’re fighting. Just having that outlet, getting it off your chest.

“For me, it’s really kind of opened my eyes to this fact that just talking to someone – ‘Hey, how’s your day? How are you? What’s going on?’ – can really help someone out there. And you never know who you’re helping,” Andrew added.

Every season, Andrew participates in the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign and dons custom-designed kicks to shine a spotlight on Bo’s Effort and its messaging.

He hopes to help bring awareness on a league-wide stage and continue breaking down the stigma that can surround such a difficult topic.

“I wanted to do something to use my platform a little bit, to try to get the word out there and help them as much as I could. If it helps to honor my cousin in some way and keep his name alive, that’s fantastic. And if I can also help just one person, that’s enough for me,” Andrew said. “I know for my aunt and uncle, they’re great people who do a lot of great things. This is their cause, and I want to try to help them as much as I can. I think, also, just bringing Bo back a little bit is nice, too, and it helps them in a way.”