Darius Townsel, a junior at Curie High School, grew up playing football in the backyard with his twin brother, Demetrius Jr. Those carefree days, filled with laughter and competition, remain some of Darius’s fondest memories.
“I remember this one time, he made me cry,” Darius said with a grin after the Condors’ 52-8 win against Senn.
“They used to make fun of me like that. And I was like, now I gotta do something about that.”
Football is more than just a game for Darius; it’s a tribute to his brother. On May 17, 2020, while visiting family in Gary, Indiana, the brothers were passengers in a car when someone fired shots into it.
Demetrius was shot and killed.
The loss left Darius brokenhearted, and gave his athletic career a new purpose.
“I’m playing this whole thing for him,” Darius said.
Darius didn’t play football during his freshman year, and for a time, he was unsure about which sport to commit to. This year, he missed much of Curie’s preseason practices while working a summer job, but once school started, he dedicated himself fully to the team.
“I take football as my first sport, even though I (also) play basketball,” Darius said. “I feel like I’m more athletic in football and people tell me to take it as my first choice because I’m not 6 foot, I can’t make it in the NBA.
“But I take this as my first choice because I also do this for my twin brother, who I lost due to gun violence in 2020. So I also do this for him and the team. I ain’t selfish, I’m a team player.”
Curie’s first-year coach, Jarve Lewis-Bey, said he’s witnessed Darius’s commitment and growth firsthand.
“Darius was a kid who worked this summer,” Lewis-Bey said. “He would come to practice periodically, but when he saw he had a chance to make a difference, he committed himself after he stopped working. And it’s showing.”
On Thursday night at Rockne Stadium, Darius shined in every phase of the game, making plays all over the field.
At running back, he ran seven times for 91 yards and three touchdowns.
On defense, he made multiple tackles for loss.
And on special teams, Darius recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a fourth touchdown on the night.
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Lewis-Bey, who didn’t know about the murder of Darius’s twin brother until this season, now sees a young man who’s turning tragedy into triumph.
“Adversity, either it’s gonna break you or it’s gonna make you,” Lewis-Bey said. “Pressure busts pipes or it makes diamonds.”
For Darius, it’s making diamonds.
Beyond the field, he’s using the story of his brother’s death to help others, backed by former Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte’s charity, What’s Your Forte Foundation and Community Justice Action Fund. Together, the organizations named Darius with a Community Justice Influencer Fellowship.
Darius said he accepted the honor “because of my twin brother.”
“I wanted to let people hear my story and know that they’re not alone in this,” he said. “I want to help people who need the help.”
And on the field, Darius plays with the same determination he once felt in those backyard battles with his brother, turning his pain into purpose.
Thursday night, he ran, tackled and scored touchdowns for the Condors and Demetrius.