RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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A Fresno father's painting hobby led to an unforgettable encounter when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott not only accepted one of his custom hats, but later wore it and sought out the artist behind it.
Mario Corona , a stay-at-home dad, licensed EMT and aspiring firefighter, began painting hats about a year ago. He said he never expected one of his designs would end up in the hands of an NFL quarterback.
"A day that I definitely won't forget," Corona said.
Recently, Corona completed a Dallas Cowboys collection that included a tribute to Prescott's brother, Jace. Prescott lost his brother to suicide in 2020 and has spoken publicly about raising awareness since then.
Corona created what he calls an "Angel Hat," featuring a portrait of Jace on the side.
"I know as a Cowboys fan, as a Dak fan, I know how much his brother meant to him and his motivation," Corona said.
Corona traveled to Cowboys training camp in Oxnard hoping to personally give the hat to Prescott. During First Responders Appreciation Day, he was able to get on the field.
"The players right in front of Dak were CeeDee [Lamb] and [George] Pickens, which were the players that were on my hat that I was wearing at the time. So I got caught up in trying to show them the hat I was wearing," Corona said. "By the time they passed and I turned back, Dak was already right here. I just babbled out whatever words were trying to come out of my mouth. Luckily, he did grab it before walking off."
Prescott accepted the hat without initially noticing the portrait painted on its side.
"I was happy that I knew he took it at least. I was actually leaving training camp pretty bummed. I didn't sell any hats, I didn't get any autographs," Corona said.
After leaving camp, Corona saw photos on social media showing Prescott wearing the hat. That is when he learned the quarterback was looking for the artist who created it.
"Got in the car, drove back... they're like, dude, you're going to have to go to the hotel," Corona said.
Corona later reunited with Prescott and captured the interaction on his Meta glasses.
"It was just real. It felt real," Corona said. "You know that moment was bigger than an autograph."
Throughout the remainder of training camp, Prescott was seen wearing Corona's hat.
The positive response to his work has encouraged Corona to take the next step with his business. He said he plans to open for commissions in November.
"As long as you're passionate about it and you stay dedicated... progress will come. If you're trying, you're going to have improvement. It for sure has paid off," Corona said.
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