Dwayne Haskins' Parents Aren't Attending Their Son's Funeral

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins passed away earlier this month on April 9.

The star athlete was attempting to cross an interstate when he was struck by a dump truck. The Florida Highway Patrol indicated that Haskins was also struck by a second vehicle in a crash incident report. An emotional 911 call from Haskin’s wife revealed that the 24-year-old footballer had run out of gas and was walking to get assistance. She dialed 911 after she had not heard back from him.

On Friday, April 22, a funeral was held for the late Haskins. Although his teammates and coaches were in attendance, many were surprised to see that Haskins’ parents were not.

In a statement to USA Today, his parents – Dwayne Sr. and Tamara Haskins – explained that they did not attend their son’s funeral because they had never met their son’s wife before.

“We have never met or spoken to the wife, and we didn’t want our son’s funeral service to be the place we met her for the first time,” they told the outlet in a joint statement.

Two memorials will be held to honor Haskins. One will be held in Rockaway Township, New Jersey, and a second vigil is planned on Sunday at Haskin’s high school: the Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland. Haskins had been born in Highland Park, New Jersey, and moved to Maryland when he was in the ninth grade.

Kalabrya and Dwayne Haskins were married in March 2021. A few months later, in July, Kalabrya Haskins was arrested in Las Vegas on a felony charge of battery and domestic violence. Dwayne suffered a split upper lip and a missing tooth after an alleged argument between the two. The case was dismissed in January of this year.

The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating Haskins’ death. The investigation could take up to 90 days.

Haskins had been drafted as number 15 by the Washington Commanders, formerly known as the Redskins, in the 2019 draft. He had started seven games as a rookie, and, after a series of not-so-great games, was later released from his contract before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Dwayne was a talented young man who had a long life ahead of him,” Commanders coach Ron Rivera said in a statement. “This is a very sad time and I am honestly at a loss for words. I know I speak for the rest of our team in saying he will be sorely missed. Our entire team is sending our heartfelt condolences and thoughts and prayers to the Haskins family at this time.”

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin released a statement, saying, “I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins. He quickly became part of our Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in our community. Dwayne was a great teammate, but even more so a tremendous friend to so many. I am truly heartbroken. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Kalabrya, and his entire family during this difficult time.”

Steelers co-owners Dan Snyder and Tanya Snyder also released a statement, saying, “We are devastated to hear the news of the tragic passing of Dwayne Haskins Jr. He was a young man with a tremendous amount of potential who had an infectious personality. To say we are heartbroken is an understatement. Our hearts and prayers are with the members of Dwayne’s family and all of those who knew him and loved him.”

Steelers linebacker TJ Watt called him an “upbeat guy.” In a tribute he posted to Twitter, TJ Watt wrote, “The world lost a great person today. When Dwayne first walked into the locker room I could tell he was an upbeat guy. He was always making people smile, never taking life for granted. His impact on me will last a forever.”