Devaughn Darling

Devaughn Darling (April 16, 1982 in Nassau, Bahamas – February 26, 2001 in Tallahassee, Florida) was a former Florida State University football player, and the identical twin brother of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Devard Darling. He was also the younger brother of Bahamian track athlete Dennis Darling and brother-in-law of his wife Tonique Williams-Darling.

Devaughn collapsed and died Feb. 26, 2001, of an apparent cardiac arrhythmia at the age of 18. He was penciled in as a starting outside linebacker going into the 2001 spring practices.

Devaughn and his twin brother Devard learned they had a blood disorder, known as a sickle cell trait, after a pre-football physical before their freshman year at Florida State. The medical examiner said the disorder may have contributed to Darling's death, although no definite medical cause was cited. The sickle cell trait is not considered a disease, but a hereditary condition in which a person has one normal gene and one abnormal gene in the blood. Sickle cell trait is not the same as sickle cell anemia, in which two abnormal genes are present. The autopsy report on Darling's death noted the sickle cell trait appears to lower resistance to a possible irregular heartbeat during intense exercise.