Published: November 15, 2024
The college basketball star promised this to God when he was fighting homelessness
By Movieguide® Contributor
Alabama A&M men’s basketball guard Darius Ford knows what it’s like to trust God in the midst of trials.
Ford and his three younger siblings grew up facing many different obstacles, including homelessness.
“For most of my life, I experienced many traumatic experiences that not only shaped me into who I am, but allowed me to learn more about life and people,” he told Sports Spectrum. “One of the biggest things that shaped me was fighting homelessness as a child. I remember staying with family and in motels just to have a place to rest at night. The journey of navigating through that experience was a lot to endure at times, but it has brought me and my family closer through an unbreakable bond.”
“On my 16th birthday, I remember recognizing what a milestone it was to be 16 and how elated you are supposed to be at this age. “I was excited all day to have made it this far,” Ford continued. “Later that night, I remember getting out of the car looking at a motel we were supposed to stay at that night. I instantly felt defeated and felt like there was nothing I could do to get out of this.”
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“I cried myself to sleep all night, shedding tears of regret and sadness, feeling helpless in every way,” he recalled.
But he made a promise to God that changed his life.
“Before I went to sleep, I asked God that if He could get me out of this, I would serve Him for the rest of my life,” Ford said.
And God changed Ford’s life through basketball. He became the first in his family to go to college.
Due to COVID-19, there were no more roster spots available at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas. But TCU offered Ford the chance to be the manager, an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.
He took on the new position and did everything he could, hoping to eventually earn a spot on the roster.
Finally his time came.
For the 2021-2022 season, Ford became a walk-on for TCU. While there, he not only helped his team to three consecutive March Madness appearances, but also “spearheaded a campaign of
