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Seminole dies after drill

Freshman linebacker Devaughn Darling collapses in front of teammates, including his twin brother, after workout. The cause is unknown.

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 27, 2001

Darling

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State freshman linebacker Devaughn Darling died from unknown causes Monday after collapsing following an early morning workout with his teammates, including his twin brother.

Darling, projected as a starter next season, was 18.

"We are all in deepest sorrow at the death of Devaughn Darling, who we all loved," coach Bobby Bowden said in a statement. "Nothing I can say will bring him back. I think all our thoughts, prayers and wishes should be with his mom, his dad, his twin brother and all the family members. Right now, we're all pretty dazed."

Instead of attending the brief, somber news conference, Bowden rushed to Tallahassee Regional Airport to meet Darling's father, Dennis Darling, who hastily traveled here from Miami. Darling's mother, Wendy Smith, was expected to arrive from Houston later in the day. Bowden planned to spend the day trying to console them and Devard, a wide receiver who, like his brother, contributed as a freshman last season.

"This is obviously a very emotional time for everyone associated with our athletic program at Florida State," athletic director Dave Hart said, fighting back tears. "We are in a collective state of shock."

Darling, 6 feet 2 and 220 pounds, apparently showed no signs of a major problem as he finished his voluntary but physically demanding agility drills, the cornerstone of FSU's off-season program, a little after 7 a.m. inside the Moore Athletic Center.

"He was literally standing up and collapsed," sports information director Rob Wilson said.

While horrified Seminole players watched, the athletic training staff began administering CPR. FSU police arrived moments later and helped try to revive Darling. Emergency Medical Services rushed him to the Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center emergency room at 8 a.m.

He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at 8:37.

Darling had no history of heart problems or any medical condition, school officials said. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed today by the medical examiner to determine the cause of death, FSU police spokesman Maj. Jack Handley said. It's unclear how long it will be before the results are known.

The most common cause of sudden death is cardiac arrest, usually from some congenital defect. Potential causes include a brain embolism, which, like a heart problem, can be congenital.

"These are all, fortunately, very, very rare entities," stressed Dr. Jonathan Chang of the University of Southern California, an expert in sports medicine. "Is this something to be concerned about? In the sense that it does happen, the answer is yes. Is it something the average athlete should be concerned about? The answer is fortunately no. The age group in question is supposed to be the healthiest age group in existence. But just because you're in the healthiest age group doesn't mean you may not have a congenital problem."

A comprehensive 10-year study published in 1995 found that an average of 16 athletes out of 3-million participants died each year. Finding those 16 beforehand has been likened to finding a needle in a haystack.

Like all FSU student-athletes, Darling had a complete physical examination, including an EKG, before the team's first workout in early August.

"To make it so you'd detect all these things, you'd have to do a million-dollar, literally a million-dollar workup for every single athlete," Chang said, adding that even then a problem might not be picked up.

The medical examiner, as a matter of course in such incidents, will run tests for drugs and performance-enhancing supplements. Toxicology reports could take two weeks.

"If I were a betting man in Vegas, I'd say there's a better than even chance they're going to find absolutely nothing in the autopsy, which usually means that the heart went into ventricular fibrillation for whatever reason," Chang said, adding that FSU would be well advised to hold out the twin brother from any physical activity and perform a battery of tests before clearing him to play.

According to the American Heart Association, 220,000 people die each year of coronary heart disease and haven't been hospitalized, and half a million youths (18 and under) have cardiac problems. The 1999 Florida Vital Statistics annual report stated that 67 youths in the state died of heart disease or complications from heart disease.

"The entire Florida State University community has been saddened by this tragedy," school president Sandy D'Alemberte said. "It's always difficult to understand when a young person is taken from us at what should be a time of greatest promise. Devaughn was a dedicated student-athlete. Our hearts go out to all of those in athletics and across the campus who have been hit hard by this sudden loss."

Wilson could recall only two other football players who have died suddenly: offensive lineman Pablo Lopez, who was shot and killed in an altercation in September 1986; and tight end Michael Hendricks, who touched a power line and was electrocuted while visiting his family in Baytown, Texas, in September 1992.

FSU director of student counseling Anika Fields said counselors, who have had to deal with grieving students before but never to this magnitude (the entire football team bore witness), will take the unprecedented step of setting up a satellite office in the Moore Athletic Center.

"We'll have at least one, maybe two counselors there throughout the week to assist whoever may need to come in and talk to us," she said, adding someone will be on call 24 hours a day. "Although we're only supposed to see students, we'll see whoever comes in; it can be students or some of the staff."

The team had workouts scheduled Wednesday and Thursday, but those have been put on hold. Spring practice is set to begin Monday. FSU would like to schedule a memorial, but that will hinge on the wishes of Darling's family.

Said Hart: "This moment is a time for perspective and a time for healing to begin as quickly as humanly possible. Because losing disappointing games is just that, it's a disappointment; but this is truly a tragedy."

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