Darick Holmes’ body was riddled with seven bullets, the result of a drug deal gone bad. He survived, but only after pretending to be dead so that the assailant would stop shooting.
His sister had two miscarriages. A 15-year-old friend was fatally shot by an off-duty law enforcement officer. After Holmes and the Bruins lost in the Cactus Bowl in December, he had to help his evicted mother move out of her apartment following a job loss.
Holmes has reacted to each blow as if he’s impervious to pain, smiling through the hardship. He explained that his sunny demeanor comes from believing in a larger purpose.