Roy Hughes, a track star at his high school in Texas, died suddenly at his home on Friday, August 8. He was only 17 years old.
Roy lived in Dallas and was a student at Lincoln High School. Police said he was found unresponsive at his home around noon after someone called for help.
His mother, Virginia Mosley, told Fox 4 News that Roy had gone to practice earlier that morning. When he got home, he fell asleep but didn’t wake up.
Dallas Fire-Rescue came to the house and confirmed that Roy had died. He was supposed to start his senior year just four days later, on Tuesday, August 12.
An autopsy is being done to find out the cause of his death, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Lincoln High School shared a tribute to Roy on social media. They called him a “true model” student and “a respectful young man with a heart of gold.”
The school wrote: “We mourn the loss and honor the life of Roy Lee Hughes — a true model who worked hard and showed great excellence. He was respectful, humble, and dedicated to his team and school.”
On Sunday, August 10, friends and family gathered at Lincoln High School to release balloons in Roy’s memory.
Roy’s older brother, Timad Cotton, spoke at the event and said, “He was always a good person and had a good heart for everyone.”
Another brother, Timmy Williams, also shared his feelings, saying, “I’m grateful for what he did, and thankful. He will keep pushing us forward.”
Roy was an outstanding athlete. He won the 4A state championship in 2025 for the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 36.58 seconds.
