{"id":1144,"date":"2026-06-03T18:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T18:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1144"},"modified":"2026-06-03T18:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T18:08:15","slug":"hough-high-rallies-around-football-coach-after-cardiac-arrest-leaves-him-in-icu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1144","title":{"rendered":"Hough High rallies around football coach after cardiac arrest leaves him in ICU"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Hough High community is rallying around assistant football coach Darius Jones, who is fighting for his life in an uptown Charlotte hospital.<\/p>\n

Read more Person dead in fatal west Charlotte shooting near home, CMPD investigating<\/a><\/p>\n

Jones, whom everybody calls \u201cCoach DJ,\u201d has been an assistant football coach for Hough for the past four years.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd everybody loves him, man,\u201d Hough head coach DeShawn Baker said. \u201cHe\u2019s family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones, 35, suffered a cardiac arrest on May 24. He had just returned home after getting food for his family when he walked into his house, took a few steps and collapsed, Baker said.<\/p>\n

His fianc\u00e9 performed CPR on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe brought him back,\u201d Baker said of the coach who played football at Johnson C. Smith is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.<\/p>\n

Jones is now at Carolinas Medical Center in the ICU and is using an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine to support his heart and lungs.<\/p>\n

Jones posted a video on YouTube, explaining that he\u2019d suffered cardiac arrest, along with giving an update on his health.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for all the support,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a long journey, but I\u2019m fighting. I\u2019m a fighter and I\u2019m going to do all I can do to get healthy. I appreciate you all supporting me and my family. It means the most to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones\u2019 cardiac arrest is the latest in a series of tragic incidents involving him and his family this year.<\/p>\n

Read more Three foals seen on remote NC island where food is growing scarce, park says<\/a><\/p>\n

In March, his son, Drex, was seriously injured in a car accident, after bring struck by a driver who allegedly failed to stop for a school bus. Drex is recovering.<\/p>\n

A few weeks later, Coach DJ lost his father.<\/p>\n

Hough has started a GoFundMe account<\/a> to help cover Jones\u2019 medical bills, which are rising by the day.<\/p>\n

On the website, the organizers wrote about how Jones continued to be a strong advocate for the school even after the incidents with his son and father.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is who DJ is,\u201d they wrote. \u201cDarius is more than a patient. He is a devoted father, loving partner, mentor, coach, and a respected leader across the Charlotte and Chicago communities and throughout the football world. He has spent years pouring into young people, guiding them toward brighter futures through football, education, discipline, and opportunity. Many have gone on to college, professional sports, and successful careers because he believed in them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has always been someone others could count on. Now, he needs us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones future likely includes extensive rehabilitation, long-term heart support, and possibly a transplant.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been going through rough patch,\u201d Baker said. \u201cWe\u2019re just trying to do our part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hough High has started a GoFundMe to help cover Coach DJ\u2019s medical bills and family expenses. As of Wednesday afternoon, the account had raised nearly $17,000 towards its $28,000 goal. Tap here to view.<\/a><\/p>\n

Read more New takeout restaurant brings hot-and-ready protein bowls to uptown Charlotte<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hough High\u2019s assistant football coach Darius \u201cCoach DJ\u201d Jones in Charlotte ICU on ECMO after heart attack\/cardiac arrest. How to donate to his GoFundMe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nHough High rallies around football coach after cardiac arrest leaves him in ICU - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1144\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hough High rallies around football coach after cardiac arrest leaves him in ICU - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hough High\u2019s assistant football coach Darius \u201cCoach DJ\u201d Jones in Charlotte ICU on ECMO after heart attack\/cardiac arrest. 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