Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Armani Latimer, who recently spoke out about her alopecia, has gone viral after performing without a wig at a game.
For those who may not be familiar, alopecia is an autoimmune disease that can cause hair loss, mainly on the scalp, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
It can affect different parts of the body, such as the eyelashes and eyebrows.
The viral video, which was posted on Instagram by the teamLatimer and a Cowboys community page showed a behind-the-scenes look at the cheerleader preparing for her performance this weekend, holding hands with her team before taking the stage.
“You got this, Mani,” you hear one of the girls say to her.
And as they walked from the tunnel onto the stage, scores of team members surrounded Latimer as they excitedly made their way to the field.
When they finally got into their formation to perform on the lawn, the DCC member could be seen wiping a few tears from her eyes with a smile.
The rest of the clip showed Latimer and her team performing their signature dances, including Thunderstruck.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Armani Latimer has gone viral after performing without a wig at a game after opening up about her alopecia
When they finally got into their formation to perform on the lawn, the DCC member was seen wiping a few tears from her eyes with a smile
The rest of the clip showed Latimer and her team performing their signature dances, including Thunderstruck
Last summer, the team shot to fame with their documentary series that premiered on Netflix called America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
The series chronicled the entire 2023-2024 season, including the grueling tryouts and practice schedules.
“You represent a lot of little girls, and they’re going to look at you, in awe of your strength, knowing that they’re going to feel so beautiful after this, because of what you’re doing today,” one of her teammates could be heard in the background of the clip say.
“We are just so proud of you,” they continued.
The caption of the post read: ‘Confidence is central to Alopecia awareness.’
And in the comments section of the post, Latimer was supported by her fellow Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders as they all wrote sweet messages for their teammate.
‘THIS here is why we dance. THIS is what DCC is all about. Thank you for showing the world your courage, strength and POWER. I LOVE YOU FOREVER MY GEORGIO!!,” Little Powell wrote.
Reece Weaver also shared a heartwarming note, writing, “It is truly one of the greatest honors to be your teammate… You were made for such a time as this. I love you so much.’
Last summer, the team rose to fame for their documentary series that premiered on Netflix called America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
In a new interview with Women’s Health, Latimer opened up about her journey with the autoimmune disease, explaining that she was diagnosed when she was 12 years old.
‘Every time I watch this I cry. Armani, you are truly my idol in every way. You embody everything a leader should be, you have truly become my best friend, and my rock!! I’m so excited for the world to see how inspiring and amazing you are!!!!’ Charly Barbie agreed.
In a new interview with Women’s healthLatimer opened up about her journey with the autoimmune disease, explaining that she was diagnosed when she was 12 years old.
However, Latimer said her hair fell out slowly, and throughout high school it was difficult to tell she had the condition.
But when she was in college, she experienced some stress, which caused even more hair loss.
“Shortly after college, I auditioned for a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and tried to wear my hair natural, but the demands of being a training camp candidate and trying to make the team made that my hair fell out faster,” Latimer said. the magazine.
Eventually, when all her hair fell out, she started wearing wigs.
She admitted to the outlet that it was “difficult to deal with her alopecia” during the early days of her cheer career, but it was her friends and family who ultimately helped her maintain a “positive mindset.”
“Over the years, the biggest challenge I had to overcome was being honest with myself,” Latimer told Women’s Health.
The Netflix series covered the entire 2023-2024 season, including the grueling tryouts and practice schedules
“Shortly after college, I auditioned for a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and tried to wear my hair naturally, but the demands of being a training camp candidate and trying to make the team made my hair fall out faster.” ‘, Latimer said. the magazine
“Telling people about my alopecia areata wasn’t difficult, but fully accepting that my life looked a little different from everyone else’s, especially because I was someone in the spotlight,” she continued.
“People see cheerleaders and assume they are flawless. Even though that’s clearly not true, I still had to unlearn the idea that I had to be perfect to play on the team.”
During the interview, she also talked about her decision to go without a wig for the game.
The DCC star explained that some people sometimes asked her on social media if she would ever be “open” to cheering without her wig, something she was initially “unsure” about.
“But at the beginning of this season, something felt right, so I talked to our director Kelli Finglass about the possibilities of going wig-free for our annual My Cause My Boots game, and she loved it,” Latimer said.
“At first I was a little scared to commit to it because doing a photo shoot or taking a video of yourself and posting it on social media doesn’t happen in real time.
“It’s a little intimidating knowing that the game will be live in front of over 80,000 people and I might end up on TV.”
“But I remind myself that I’ll be there dancing with my best friends, and my family will be there too. I know it will be an impactful moment for whoever it touches.”