DKR Alzhiemer’s Foundation
DKR is in New York with Street, Koy, and Halsell to receive the McArthur Bowl as the football national champion in 1969. President Nixon is in attendance. Halsell is on DKR’s left shoulder. Koy is behind DKR, and Street is on DKR’s right shoulder.
The Darrell K Royal Research Fund for Alzheimer’s Disease is advancing innovative research and whole-person care for patients and caregivers through a $250,000 gift to Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. Dell Med will also be a beneficiary of this year’s DKR Research Fund’s 4th& Goal Gala at ACL Live. The fund’s support pays tribute to the legacy of its namesake, Darrell K Royal, former football coach, UT athletic director, and an enduring part of state lore.
Under Coach Royal’s leadership from 1957 through 1976, the Longhorns transformed into a powerhouse on the gridiron, winning three national championships, 11 Southwest Conference titles, and a 167–47–5 record. The winningest coach in Longhorn football history, he never had a losing season.
But his contributions to the community didn’t stop there. His “Pickin’ Parties” in the 1970s and longtime support of musicians and songwriters — including his friend Willie Nelson — helped spread enthusiasm for live music in Austin, now known as the live music capital of the world.
After Coach Royal was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, his wife, Edith, and family friends founded the DKR Research Fund in hopes of helping others affected by the disease and one day finding a cure. The disease took his life in 2012.
“The sad fact is this disease touches most everyone in our state, and the Darrell Royal family is no exception,” Edith Royal says. “The DKR Research Fund represents a commitment to excellence in Alzheimer’s disease research and care for Texans, the nation and the world.”
With a vast network of supporters throughout the community, the DKR Research Fund, which raised $1 million last year, awards grants to promising research initiatives in Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as programs supporting and educating caregivers.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to work with Mrs. Royal and help raise funds for neurological research in the state of Texas in Coach Royal’s name,” says Debbie Hanna, president of the DKR Research Fund. “This gift to Dell Med is a sound investment in promising research and meaningful care innovations that will create brighter futures for people with Alzheimer’s and their families.”
