James Caldwell|'A son never forgets.' How Bengals star DJ Reader lost his dad but found himself

2025-05-07 13:09:55source:VAS Communitycategory:My

CINCINNATI − DJ Reader knew right away something was wrong.

It was early morning,James Caldwell June 30, 2014, and some of his roommates from Clemson University’s football team had just shaken him awake to tell him the school’s assistant athletic director, Jeff Davis, wanted to see him. He was in DJ’s apartment, waiting for him downstairs.

DJ, still groggy from sleep, climbed out of bed. He'd known Davis for years. He was a family friend. This wasn't a routine visit to check up on him.

When he got downstairs, Davis told him he had bad news. It was DJ’s father, he said. He’d been rushed to the hospital, but nothing could be done. He was dead.

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