Dad shares story about daughter's scary experience at a college party with star athlete. It's pretty great.

The NFL is by far America's favorite sports league, so when its players are charged with a violent crime, it's front page news. Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Adrian Hernandez, Greg Hardy, and most recently Tyreek Hill, have all helped the NFL earn the moniker the “National Felon League.”
However, studies show that the arrest rate for NFL players is half that of men in the same age group. But, if it bleeds it leads, so when an NFL player makes a positive impact on the community, it rarely gets the attention it deserves.
That’s why everyone should know the name Dre Greenlaw.
What are the @49ers getting with @DreGreenlaw? “A playmaker, a guy who has played at the highest level of the @SEC.… https://t.co/0j7YgtqRVt— Arkansas Razorback Football (@Arkansas Razorback Football) 1556390778.0
Greenlaw, 21, was selected in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, April 27. The former linebacker Arkansas Razorback team captain was a four-year starter, amassing 320 tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions during his college career.
But for one Arkansas student, Greenlaw will be remembered more for his courage at a party than on the gridiron.
"He was risking everything -- and he was risking it for my daughter." A dad tweets a heartfelt story about how 49e… https://t.co/j8MEcsoTpm— 49ers on NBCS (@49ers on NBCS) 1556478628.0
The story came to light after Greenlaw was drafted.
Dre Greenlaw was drafted in the 5th round by the SF 49ers. I want to tell you a little story about him.— Gerry Daly (@Gerry Daly) 1556393390.0
My daughter went to a college party when she was freshman. She knew very few people at the party, and also didn't h… https://t.co/GEcdzAo4yQ— Gerry Daly (@Gerry Daly) 1556393391.0
Greenlaw’s story goes way beyond the scope of sports. He was a great example for people everywhere on how to be on the look out for signs of sexual assault and how to do something about it.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, one out of every four female undergraduates will be victim to some form of sexual assault before graduation.
Here are a few tips from RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) to help fight back against sexual assault if you see something suspicious at a bar or a party.
Create a distraction
Do what you can to interrupt the situation. A distraction can give the person at risk a chance to get to a safe place.
Cut off the conversation with a diversion like, “Let’s get pizza, I’m starving,” or “This party is lame. Let’s try somewhere else.”
Bring out fresh food or drinks and offer them to everyone at the party, including the people you are concerned about.
Start an activity that draws other people in, like a game, a debate, or a dance party.
Ask directly
Talk directly to the person who might be in trouble.
Ask questions like “Who did you come here with?” or “Would you like me to stay with you?”
Refer to an authority
Sometimes the safest way to intervene is to refer to a neutral party with the authority to change the situation, like an RA or security guard.
Talk to a security guard, bartender, or another employee about your concerns. It’s in their best interest to ensure that their patrons are safe, and they will usually be willing to step in.
Don’t hesitate to call 911 if you are concerned for someone else’s safety.
Enlist others
It can be intimidating to approach a situation alone. Enlist another person to support you.
Ask someone to come with you to approach the person at risk. When it comes to expressing concern, sometimes there is power in numbers.
Ask someone to intervene in your place. For example, you could ask someone who knows the person at risk to escort them to the bathroom.
Enlist the friend of the person you’re concerned about. “Your friend looks like they’ve had a lot to drink. Can you check on them?”
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."