Desiree Reed-Francois’ passion for college athletics starts with her brother

UNLV football coach Tony Sanchez bent over to greet the gentleman in the wheelchair who had the biggest smile in the Redd Room of the Thomas & Mack Center.

Sanchez shook hands with Roman Reed, the brother of Desiree Reed-Francois, who was introduced Tuesday as UNLV’s new athletic director.

The Rebels coach asked Roman Reed where and when he played college football. Turned out the two once played on the same field together in the mid-1990s.

Reed was a star linebacker at Chabot College in the Oakland, California, area. Chabot College’s rival is Laney College, where Sanchez played as a wide receiver.

“What a small world,” Reed said.

Reed-Francois mentioned her close bond with her younger brother during her introductory news conference. Reed-Francois said she dedicated herself to college athletics because she’s passionate about building teams. That passion started with her brother.

“My first team was my brother and me,” Reed-Francois said. “Roman and I played every sport. I was a rower, but he’s the real athlete. … My brother and I dreamed of him being a professional football player … and I was going to be his lawyer.”

They were on their way to achieving the lofty goals they set as kids.

But on Sept. 10, 1994, everything changed for the Reed family. Roman was going for his 25th tackle of the 1994 season opener at Chabot College when he broke his neck, throwing him into the life of quadriplegic.

“I actually completed that tackle,” said Reed, who was being recruited by Oklahoma and New Mexico. “Yeah, it shook up my life, but it didn’t stop me. It turned out there was a different plan for me.

“Good chess players play five or six moves ahead, and God plays 10 decades ahead. Everything we’ve gone through, God has prepared us for this moment and time.”

Reed, 42, dedicated himself to finding a cure for spinal cord injury and has raised millions of dollars for the cause. He’s been named the stem cell research person of the year three times by worldwide known foundations.

Reed-Francois’ career path also changed after seeing what her brother went through.

“Twenty years ago, Desiree called her shot like Babe Ruth, and said she was going to be an athletic director, and helps kids so they don’t have to go through negative situations like mine,” Reed said.

“I was in college and close to my dream of playing professional football, and it was all taken from me. I was down, no one from college was around anymore, but Desiree always made sure I was in good spirits.”

Reed-Francois would drive or fly every weekend to see her brother in the hospital while she was working on her law degree at Arizona.

“My mom would tell her, ‘It’s good that you’re here, but this is too much,’” Reed said. “She would not listen. She said, ‘Nope, I only have one brother, and this is what I’m going to do.’ She’s always been there for me and has never said no. She’s a very caring person.”

The Rebels are now under the care of Reed-Francois.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.