Did Devarjaye "DJ" Daniel, the brain cancer survivor whom President Trump made an honorary Secret Service agent, die on February 23, 2026? No, that's not true: As of Feb. 25, 2026, there was no evidence that DJ had died. Following similar rumors in January 2026, DJ's dad, Theodis Daniel, said, "If any update [does] not come from me, his Dad, or people close to us, it's not true."
The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook on Feb. 24, 2026. It read:
SAD NEWS: Devarjaye "DJ" Daniel, a brave 13-year-old American boy famous for his battle with brain and spinal cancer, has been announced by his family to have passed away on February 23, 2026. His mother said he had...
This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing:
(Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook post.)
DJ's story
DJ gained national attention in March 2025 when President Donald Trump honored the then-13-year-old during his address to a joint session of Congress, recognizing him as an honorary Secret Service special agent. DJ, now 14, and his family are from Houston, and he's been battling terminal brain and spinal cancer since 2018.
Social Media
There was no mention of DJ dying on the family's Facebook page as of Feb. 25, 2026. His dad, Theodis Daniel, said this in a post (archived here) on Jan. 14, 2026:
DJ is doing fine
To all his supporters and followers, nothing to worry about if any update [does] not come from me, his Dad, or people close to us, it's not true, please don't let these delusional online trolls and bullies rock your boat
*Stay positive and stay Prayered up and be Blessed *
DJ's Dad
Theodis Daniel also recorded this video to go with the post:
Also, the day following DJ's purported death, the U.S. Secret Service published this post (archived here) on X on Feb. 24, 2026. It read:
As we reflect on last year's Address to Congress, where we had the honor of recognizing honorary Secret Service Special Agent DJ Daniel, we look ahead with confidence to another safe and successful #SOTU26. Congratulations DJ on completing your first year on the job, and thank you for the dedication and enthusiasm you continue to bring to the role. Thank you @POTUS for the introduction.
This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:
(Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot of X post.)
