“I’ve never been in pain like that before.”
Well, it finally happened.
After nearly two decades of competing onThe Challenge, Darrell Taylor quit a heights challenge.
‘The Challenge All Stars 3’.Laura Barisonzi/Paramount +
It’s one of those weird things.
I don’t know, my body and my mind say, like, “No, man.”
I did not expect to see you lose that elimination either.
‘The Challenge All Stars 3’.Laura Barisonzi/Paramount +
TAYLOR:I was shocked too.
I thought I was going to win too.
Let’s back up.
‘The Challenge All Stars 3’.Laura Barisonzi/Paramount +
TAYLOR:Oh man, it all started the day before.
And then I got in my own head.
I was probably defeated before I even went out there, honestly.
And I didn’t like that.
I was like, “Hell no.
There’s no way I could do this.”
How long were you up there until you were officially DQed?
TAYLOR:They had me up there for a while, and I flipped out.
I tried to walk, and my legs just don’t move.
And it was a big platform, so I couldn’t see the ground.
How much s— did T.J. give you for quitting?
TAYLOR:He was actually pretty supportive.
He was trying to help me out.
He’s like, “You’re safe, man.
You’re not going to die.”
But we went first, so I never saw the drop beforehand.
I got so nervous and my legs went stanky.
That’s just my kryptonite, man, I get stanky legs.
They start shaking and trembling.
Kendal, you had to wait a full minute before working on the math problem.
If you hadn’t gotten sabotaged, do you think you could have won your round?
KENDAL DARNELL:I think I would have won the whole thing for the women.
And so thinking back, they were telling me to go.
If I didn’t wait, if I had just gone, I would have beat Veronica.
If I didn’t have the sabotage I think I would have won the whole thing.
It’s so hard not to sit there and play what-if, right?
But I never speak up.
I just put my faith in the universe and stayed silent.
TAYLOR:Oh, no.
They definitely asked me, and I told them, go ahead and do whatever they need to do.
But in the back of my head I was actually hoping that they would pick Jordan.
TAYLOR:Oh yeah.
So I knew I had to send him home eventually.
That was in the back of my head.
But wouldn’t you want someone else to go against him rather than it falling on you?
TAYLOR:Well, now that I lost because his ass is stubborn as hell…
Anybody else would’ve been like, “F— it.
Go ahead, Darrell.
It’s over.”
I was about a foot away.
I only had about maybe 12 inches or so to finish the thing.
But he was so stubborn and he would not give up.
My legs were just shot.
And I felt that within the first 15 minutes, but it was manageable.
And then I started realizing every time I moved, these legs were just in so much pain.
I couldn’t take it no more.
I couldn’t walk the next day.
I would get these spasms where they would shoot through my quads and they would go limp.
For a minute I thought I had blood clots or something.
I didn’t know what the hell was going on.
What happened after they took you away on the stretcher and into an ambulance?
TAYLOR:They hit a lot of bumps.
They gave me some IVs, they gave me some shots, and they took me to the hospital.
They thought I was dehydrated, and they gave me some other muscle stuff to take down the pain.
I was just in so much pain.
DARNELL:It was really scary.
They don’t even show exactly how bad it was, but it was really awful.
I’ve never seen anyone in pain like that, and I’m a nurse.
TAYLOR:I should’ve moved.
I was pretty much sitting in a wall sit the whole time.
Like you said, you were so close to winning for so long but Jordan held you off.
Because Jordan is, I hate to say it, but he has better lungs than me.
DARNELL:We couldn’t tell from where we were standing.
And then it was like, “What just happened?”
We were all so confused until it was clear how much pain you were in.
I’ve never been in pain like that before.
I was more afraid of, I’m never going to be able to walk again.
I was thinking the worst-case scenario.
I thought they were going to have to amputate my legs or something.
They actually put me in a wheelchair.
But for a few days I could barely walk.
It was pretty bad.
I’m glad you’re feeling better now.
That’s so funny, I’d never even thought about that!
If I was going to lose to anybody, I would love to lose to KellyAnne.
TAYLOR:And then she could get your stars.
I’m going to go into elimination, and I’m going to get me some stars."
Kendal, how long did your elimination last?
DARNELL:It was pretty quick.
It was like minutes.
But I just didn’t have enough weight to really keep it there.
The weight discrepancy between Jordan and Darrell is not as much as between me and Beth.
I was really upset and trying not to be defeated as soon as I saw what it was.
I’m never going to not give it 100 percent, so I did.
But yeah, it was really disheartening.
Because we didn’t really see your reasoning shown last episode.
DARNELL:There were multiple factors.
I had always wanted to put it on a guy.
But I knew that the smart thing would be to throw it on Kailah or Sylvia.
I felt like that’s where the game was heading.
There has to be another option.
Probably Sylvia, because she threw it on KellyAnne.
But, I have an idea," and we had to pause talking for a moment.
People are looking at me like, “What did you say to them?”
I was like, “Oh my gosh, I’m not done.”
So we sat on the bus and they’re just complaining.
But we can’t talk on the bus, and I’m trying to follow the rules.
Because I feel like there’s a barrier there, and I want to remove that barrier."
I didn’t even ask for that, but I thought that’s great.
Mark just went into an elimination, so he’s exempt.
And then I started looking at the line to see who is the next biggest guy.
I’m looking at Darrell and Nehemiah, and those are my guys.
I can’t put it on them.
Thank you, M.J., for being so big.
I just felt like a terrible human being.
But he was the answer.
It’s a 35-pound weighted vest.
Thirty-five pounds on me or KellyAnne or Kailah, any female, that’s a lot of weight.
But a big man like M.J., it’s not going to touch him.
Well, I forgot he had an injured leg.
After this season, what are the chances we’ll see you both back onThe Challenge?
TAYLOR:No time soon for me.
I just opened my gym, so I’ve got to focus on that right now.
Maybe in a year or so, but at this moment, no.
I won’t say I’m retired, but just not right now.
TAYLOR:You don’t have to play dirty, though.
you’ve got the option to still be yourself.
I breathe too heavy and I’ve got people gunning for me.
I don’t know.
I wouldn’t want to be done on this note.
I would like to think that I can do better.
