In Calvin's Honor
This page is dedicated to honoring the memory of Calvin "CJ" Dickey Jr., an 18-year-old who tragically passed away following the first day of his college football conditioning camp due to complications from exertional rhabdomyolysis and a sickle cell trait crisis based on independent autopsy findings. CJ discovered he carried the sickle cell trait during NCAA-mandated screenings which was reported to the university prior to reporting to camp. Our mission is to share his story and raise awareness about vital athlete safety issues, including NCAA protocols for managing sickle cell traits and preventing heat-related emergencies.
Click the links below to learn more about the NCAA and CDC Sickle Cell Trait Guidelines
NOW FEATURED Hear CJ’s Story
“100% Preventable”: The Death of Bucknell Football Player Calvin Dickey Jr.
Campus Files: Scandals, Secrets & Crimes at American Universities (Audacy) · Season 5, Episode 5 · 31 min · Released April 8, 2026
“What was supposed to be a light workout during football orientation ended in tragedy. Calvin Dickey, a freshman with sickle cell trait, collapsed and died days later. His parents say Bucknell failed to follow basic safety protocols and then withheld what really happened.”
“Know a coach, parent, or athletic director? Share this episode — it could save a life.”
Honoring CJ by Carrying His Light Forward
CJ was a son, brother, nephew, cousin, teammate, and friend.
CJ was also young man with a bright spirit, a powerful work ethic, and a dream to play college football. He has a village who loves him deeply and misses him every single day!
As we honor CJ’s life and legacy, we choose to channel our grief into purpose.
We choose to pay it forward in Calvin’s honor.
We are pleased to announce the 2026 50 for 50 Scholarship Award Recipients
Click here to learn more about each of these great student athletes.
Family of CJ Dickey to Move Forward with Legal Action A Call for Truth and Accountability The family of Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr. has made the decision to move forward with litigation against Bucknell University. This decision follows months of unanswered requests for full transparency about what led to CJ’s death on July 12, 2024 and the university’s handling of that tragic day. Despite submitting his full medical history, including confirmation of his sickle cell trait, CJ was subjected to an extreme workout on his first day of training. He collapsed and later died from complications tied to exertional rhabdomyolysis and multiple organ failure. To this day, Bucknell has not released a full, detailed account of what occurred, nor have they provided the family with findings from their internal investigation. "Update In April 2025, the Dickey family filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania state court. Their attorneys elected to dismiss that case without prejudice and refile in federal court. In November 2025, a civil lawsuit was filed in federal court. That case is active and ongoing.” This legal action marks a crucial step in the family's ongoing pursuit of truth, accountability, and change — not just for CJ, but for the safety of all student-athletes.
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