Derrick Rhoden
Donation protected
Derrick Rhoden 8/10/1985 - 12/20/2023
My brother Derrick Rhoden passed away 12/20/2023 after a long battle with a serious mental illness at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lexington, KY. Derrick was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder at age 16 and passed away due to the effects of the disease on his body over the years.
It is my goal to raise money in his honor to donate to two charities in his name. All proceeds will benefit the following charities.
CIT NKY an organization that functions to train police officers in properly handling mentally ill subjects in crisis.
National Alliance on Mental Illness NKY who raises awareness and supports loved ones of those affected by serious mental illnesses.
Below is a memorial article wrote by Bishop Brossart sports writer and Derrick's friend Dave Schabell:
Derrick Rhoden '04 - Paradise Lost
"Derrick Rhoden ’04 had the potential to be the finest player ever, to not only wear a Brossart uniform, but to be one of the all-time top basketball players ever to emerge from Northern Kentucky. We were treated to a glimpse of what Rhoden could become during his freshman season (2000-01), when the near-seven footer, played head to head with Senior Kevin Reinhardt ‘01, another of the top players from our area who is a Campbell County Camels and a 10th Region Hall of Famer, during that season’s district tournament.
Unfortunately, for all of us, Derrick was bi-polar and schizophrenic. He had physical and mental issues associated with the disorder.
DERRICK RHODEN SCORED 854 CAREER POINTS DESIPTE A STAR-CROSSED CAREER.
Derrick Rhoden '04
Just prior to his sophomore season Derrick had a medical episode that rendered him dependent on medications that caused him to become heavy and stole from us the sleek, mobile athlete, with the soft hands, limiting his athletic abilities and ability to function in a productive manner throughout the remainder of his life. Despite battling through these limitations, Derrick still managed to score 854 career points and his teams won 46 games (46-14) during his junior and senior seasons. He was still good enough to be selected to play for the Derek Smith All-Stars, and there were colleges willing to take a chance on him.
Derrick remained my friend through 2019, fishing with me often here locally, and making several trips to Canada. These are fond memories of better times. In the latter years of his life, Derrick lived in a apartment with extensive caregiving where his health deteriorated. He passed away in late December at the age of 38.
His death is certainly a tragedy, in more ways than one. Selfishly, I often wonder what a healthy Derrick Rhoden could have become, as I watch lesser players excel in college basketball. With his size and his skill set there is no reason that he would not have played professional basketball. Unfortunately, he will be remembered as the player he became late in his high school career. It is tragic that his disability did not allow him to lead a normal, productive life, and that he basically spent his later years facing this early life death sentence."
Please educate yourselves on serious mental illness as it affects numerous people in the community. A celebration of life will be announced when plans are completed.
Thanks and God Bless,
Nick Rhoden
Organizer
Nick Rhoden
Organizer
Alexandria, KY
