The girlfriend of the Dallas Cowboys star who tragically died by suicide is posting an update on her pregnancy six months after his passing.
Catalina Mancera shared a gallery of images from her baby shower ahead of the birth of her child.
The photos come months after her boyfriend, Marshawn Kneeland, took his own life following a police chase.
An emotional Mancera posted, ‘Words can’t explain how thankful I am for the people God has placed in my life.
‘In such a hard season, the love and support surrounding me has made everything feel a little brighter.
‘I’m so grateful for everyone who came out to celebrate me and baby, and even those who couldn’t make it but still showed love from afar.
Catalina Mancera shared images from her baby shower months after her boyfriend’s suicide
Mancera is still mourning the loss of her partner and Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland after he took his own life following a police chase in suburban Dallas in November
‘I also want to thank my family for throwing me such a beautiful shower in Michigan. I want to thank both of our families for all the love they’ve poured into me during this time.
I’ll never forget the kindness, prayers, and support that have carried me through all of this.’
Mancera was working with police to attempt to locate Kneeland in the minutes before his tragic death. But she was also seen being placed in handcuffs during the horrific ordeal.
She was captured on bodycam footage informing police that Kneeland was armed, that he had a history of mental illness and he had mentioned he would ‘end it all.’
‘The girlfriend has his location. But she’s not giving it to us … She’s like, “He’s going to kill himself. I can’t tell you where he’s at,”‘ a Frisco police officer said. Authorities later said Mancera worked with officers to find Kneeland.
Less than an hour earlier at around 10:35pm, Texas State Troopers began to pursue Kneeland’s vehicle.
Officers initially unaware that the driver they were pursuing was Kneeland. After a search of the vehicle’s identification number revealed it was owned by the NFL player, they presumed it to have been stolen.
Yet, around 10 minutes after losing site of the battle, Kneeland crashed into a pickup and he fled on foot, sparking the widespread search that included K-9 sniffer dogs, drones and even Texas state troopers firing pepper balls into drainage tunnels.
Mancera was placed in a squad car as an officer searched her vehicle for the defensive end
Kneeland’s vehicle was discovered abandoned on a grassy area by the side of the road
Kneeland’s vehicle, which he said to have been driving at speeds higher than 145mph, ended up in a grassy area beside the tollway in Frisco near an office park area with office buildings, businesses and apartments.
Troopers said an empty holster was found underneath the driver’s seat of Kneeland’s car.
Still unaware that the man they were pursuing was Kneeland, officers searched the shopping complex before being led to a wooded area by a K-9. Shortly after 11:30pm, they then narrowed in on a culvert, a closed pipe that helps manage the flow of water.
‘Frisco K-9. If you’re in this tunnel, I’m going to send my dog in here. He is going to bite you. This is your last opportunity,’ a Frisco officer said.
Authorities later fired pepper balls into the tunnels and sent a drone into them, but did not find Kneeland inside.
At around 1:32am, police finally located Kneeland’s deceased body inside a port-a-potty.
Mancera had sounded the alarm to the police after she received a concerning text message from the NFL star, saying that he would ‘end it all.’
In devastating 911 audio, dispatchers could be heard relaying information from Kneeland’s girlfriend, who reportedly said that he had a history of mental illness and that he was armed.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer revealed in the days following Kneeland’s death that Mancera is pregnant. The franchise has set up a memorial fund to support her and their unborn child.
Officers were led to a wooded area by a K-9 where they narrowed in on a drainage tunnel
Authorities later fired pepper balls into the tunnels and sent a drone into them
His girlfriend sounded the alarm to the police after she received a concerning text message
Mancera shared a heartbreaking statement earlier this week as she continued to mourn her devastating loss.
‘I still have a glimpse of hope Marshawn will walk through our front door singing and dancing to the music he was listening to in the car,’ she wrote on Instagram.
‘This isn’t my life anymore, I’m now living my worst nightmare. Marshawn was more than just my boyfriend he was my best friend my muse and my reason.’
Mancera began dating the NFL star when he was at Western Michigan University in her native Kalamazoo, his cousin Nicole Kneeland-Woods told the Daily Mail. He is from nearby Grand Rapids.
