NORFOLK, Va. – Darius Caldwell wore the necklace most of his 43 years on this earth, a gold chain with a finely-crafted, crooked cross depicting Christ's crucifixion.
It is now draped around the neck of his stepson, Keshawn Wicks, who says wearing the cross, and pulling it from underneath his shirt and feeling it throughout the day helps give him strength.
Caldwell passed away unexpectedly two months ago in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, and his death was a terrible blow to Wicks, the starting tailback for Old Dominion's football team, which hosts Wake Forest Saturday at noon.
"He raised me since I was this tall," Wicks said, motioning to his knees. "I just called him my dad. He was my dad.
"He did so much for me. He gave me so much knowledge. He changed the way I look at things.
"He was my motivator. He was so positive. He never let a situation ever dictate anything to him. He was going to make the most of whatever happened to him. He was going to make it happen regardless of the circumstances."
Caldwell was a fount of knowledge during Wicks' first four seasons at ODU, in which he had to exercise a ton of patience. Caldwell came to ODU in 2019 as a freshman and redshirted, and then the Monarchs did not play football in 2020.
He finally began to play in 2021 but did so sparingly. In his last two seasons, he rushed a total of 49 times for 180 yards.
"My dad was the one who kept my head straight," Wicks said. "He kept telling me to be patient, that my time would come."
It finally has in Wick's fifth season. In ODU's first game, a 36-17 loss at Virginia Tech, he led an effective Monarch ground game by carrying the ball 14 times for a career high 73 yards.
Last week, in ODU's 38-31 victory over Louisiana, Wicks again broke his career high, rushing 17 times for 103 yards.
Wicks did so with a combination of deft moves, patience and power. He's learned to be patient and lay back a few beats while his offensive lineman open a hole. And when he's been hit, the 6-foot-1, 193-pound junior has carried tacklers with him.
During one stretch midway through the second quarter, Wicks powered his way to gains of 11, eight and 15 yards in less than a minute. Obviously stunned by his rushing prowess, Louisiana called a timeout to regroup its defense.
After play resumed, Wicks rushed three more times for 18 yards before being subbed out by backup Obie Sanni. The drive eventually led to a touchdown on a three-yard Grant Wilson quarterback keeper.
Asked if he thinks his father would be proud of him, Wicks replied that he is proud of him.
"I feel like I can always look up in the sky and know he is sending me some type of motivation," he said.
Certainly, Wicks has given his entire family much to be proud of. He already has a college degree in hand, in industrial technology, and is working on a second degree in business.
His class schedule is demanding. He's taking pre-calculus, principles of microeconomics, principles of information technology, introduction to contemporary business and manufacturing and construction technology.
All while playing football and dealing with the loss of his father.
Keshawn Wicks with father Darius Caldwell at ODU's graduation.
Wicks has leaned on running backs coach Tony Lucas, who knows a thing or two about loss and grief. Nine years ago, Lucas found his wife, Sarita Wright Lucas, lifeless on the bathroom floor. He gave her CPR but she never recovered. She was six months pregnant with their daughter.
He eventually remarried Natasha Harrison, a physicianand friend, and the couple had a daughter, Sage, three years ago in Norfolk. Sage is now a fixture who spreads joy as she ambles around the ODU football offices.
Tony Lucas rebuilt his life after losing wife and child
"Coach Lucas has taught me so much," Wicks said. "He's an awesome coach. And he's a great person. He's been a huge help."
Wicks said his mother, Tiki Caldwell, is still struggling. Although she was previously married, Darius was the love of her life, Wicks said.
Darius and Tiki met when they were 14 while growing up in Montgomery, Alabama. Two years later, they started dating.
"But there's not much going in in Montgomery, so they both went into the military," Wicks said.
And that took their lives in different directions. She went into the Air Force and he went into the Navy. Tiki got married but divorced a few years later. Eventually, she and Darius reconnected, got married and had more children.
Wicks was five when they got back together.
"He was in touch with my Mom's family the entire time because they loved him," Wicks said. "They were meant to be together."
Wicks went home over the July 4th weekend because he knew his dad was sick and in the hospital. Darius suffered from pancreatitis and kidney disease. Wicks said he had no idea how sick his father was.
"I thought he was doing pretty good," Wicks said. "The last time I talked with him, he seemed perfectly fine. He was the same person he always was. So, for me, it's like he's just gone, it still doesn't feel real to me some days.
"The last time we talked, he was smiling and told us he'd be home soon."
But he never made it. He passed away on July 8th.
Wicks never got to say good bye to his father but takes solace in knowing that "every time I saw him, I told him I loved him," he said.
Darius left his chain on his bedside table when he went to the hospital. His mother picked it up her next time home and gave it to her son.
"When I start to feel down, I just look at it, I hold it. I look up at the sky and hold it and instantly feel better for some reason. It's like I know he's giving me that extra push," Wicks said.
Wicks said losing his father has changed his outlook on life.
"It's given me more focus on what the greater goal is," he said. "It made me happier with life. I know my dad wasn't supposed to go out like that. So, I'm just thankful for every day, for every time I wake up."
Football has helped the entire family, Wicks said. His mother drives to every game with other family members.
"It's easier being around a whole bunch of smiling faces doing something I love," he said.
"It's just helped us all cope. My dad played a big role in everyone's lives, he had a big hand in everything that everyone was doing because he was their motivation."
After a few seconds of quiet reflection, Wicks looked down and spoke almost in a whisper.
"We miss him a lot. That's all I can really say. We miss him a lot."
Contact Minium at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
Minium: Keshawn Wicks Mourning for His Father While Starring for ODU Football Team
