SUGAR LAND, Texas – Former Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver, Devard Darling, says the pain of losing his identical twin brother has never gone away, but 25 years later, it has become the driving force behind a mission to save lives.
On Sunday, Darling will host the 16th Annual Darling Dash in Sugar Land, a community race created to raise awareness about sickle cell disease and the dangers of sickle cell trait exertion.
The event also marks 25 years since the death of his twin brother, Devaughn Darling, a standout football player at Florida State University who collapsed and died after intense offseason drills in 2001.
“Twenty-five years later, the pain is still real, but so is the purpose,” Darling said. “The Darling Dash is how we keep Devaughn’s name alive, raise awareness that can save lives, and bring families together to run for something bigger than a finish line.”
A twin bond that began with “one heartbeat”
Darling says his family’s story, and the inspiration behind the As One Foundation, began before he and his brother were even born.
Their mother, living in the Bahamas at the time, didn’t know she was carrying twins.
“The doctor only heard one heartbeat,” Darling said. “So that’s where it came from, one heartbeat beating, two heartbeats beating as one. That’s how the As One Foundation was born.”
The identical twins were inseparable growing up, sharing dreams, ambitions and eventually a path toward football.
“We had a dream about playing in the NFL since we were about eight, nine, 10 years old,” Darling said. “We just loved throwing the football around.”
The brothers came from a highly athletic Bahamian family. Olympic medalist Frank Rutherford, the first Bahamian to win an Olympic medal in track and field, is their cousin and mentor.
But football was the path the twins chose together.
A hidden condition they didn’t know about
Despite their athletic background, the brothers had no idea they carried the sickle cell trait until they arrived at Florida State as freshmen.
“The first time we found out we had the sickle cell trait was our freshman year at Florida State,” Darling said. “We were already committed, already signed.”
He says doctors gave them minimal information at the time.
“The doctor said just make sure when you’re ready to have a child that your mate doesn’t have the trait as well,” he recalled. “That was the only information really given to us.”
Looking back, Darling says there were warning signs that went unexplained.
His brother often experienced severe cramps during high school football practices, something the family simply thought was part of intense training.
“He cramped a lot in high school,” Darling said. “But we just thought it was normal. He was our workhorse.”
A tragedy that changed college athletics
In 2001, Devaughn collapsed during intense offseason conditioning drills, workouts that Darling says pushed athletes to extreme limits.
“At that time, that was the mentality,” he said. “You couldn’t get water. There were trash cans around for people throwing up. The number one unwritten rule was you can’t quit.”
Darling believes the drills went too far.
“They took it too far,” he said.
The tragedy sparked major changes in how college athletic programs handle conditioning and medical safety.
Today, many programs require athletes to be tested for sickle cell trait, provide scheduled water breaks and keep medical staff and automated external defibrillators on site during workouts.
“Those are a lot of changes that happened,” Darling said.
Continuing the dream they shared
After his brother’s death, Darling initially stayed at Florida State but later transferred to Washington State University to continue his football career.
He eventually realized the dream he and his twin had shared since childhood, playing in the NFL.
Darling was drafted in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and later played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans.
“Every day I still live for Devaughn,” Darling said.
Turning grief into a movement
After reaching the NFL, Darling launched the As One Foundation to raise awareness about sickle cell disease and the dangers associated with the sickle cell trait during intense physical exertion.
The organization promotes education, blood drives and testing so families understand their genetic status.
“The most important thing is knowing your status,” Darling said. “Knowing your blood type, knowing your genotype and being safe while participating in athletics.”
The foundation has also given away more than $100,000 in scholarships to students in Fort Bend County, where the Darling family has long-standing ties.
Darling Dash brings the community together
The Darling Dash has grown into a major community event in the Houston area, bringing together runners, families and supporters for a cause that extends beyond the finish line.
Darling says participants can expect a welcoming and emotional atmosphere.
“All of our events are heartfelt,” he said. “It’s a fun family atmosphere. You’re going to feel that energy, feel the love.”
He says the event is also an opportunity for people to learn about sickle cell disease and how it affects communities, particularly people of African descent.
“You will be educated,” Darling said. “Once you come to one of our events, you’re family.”
Event details
The 16th Annual Darling Dash will take place:
- Date: Sunday, March 15, 2026
- Time: 8 a.m.
- Location: Sugar Land Memorial Park
Participants can register, volunteer or learn more through the As One Foundation website.
Virtual race options are also available for supporters who cannot attend in person.