Amid all of our celebrations this week about Donald Trump's historic election win, there were plenty of stories of hardship and loss. One of those stories that hit social media hardest was when former Ohio State quarterback and current college football and NFL announcer Kirk Herbstreit lost his beloved dog Ben to cancer.
Ben was not just Herbstreit's best friend, he was a social media star as he would often accompany Herbstreit to his announcing jobs, especially as a panelist on ESPN's college football pre-game show, College GameDay. That show is filmed on location at college campuses across the country and, over the years, everyone in attendance and watching on TV got to know Ben very well.
On Thursday, Herbstreit announced that tragic news:
This is really hard to write but so many of you have loved and cared about Ben that I wanted to let you know. We found out today the cancer had spread throughout Bens organs and there was nothing left we could do-we had to let him go. I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 on… pic.twitter.com/jDvPTbNv2M
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 7, 2024
The tweet continues:
I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 on 1. He was smart-loving-gentle-patient-inquisitive-and welcoming to all. Always a big smile and a soft tail wag. He and I could communicate..he and I understood each other and had each others backs. He was with me more than anyone at home and traveling with me for work. Such an easy going companion. Hard day-but he will live within all of us forever. God please bless his majestic soul and thank you for putting him in my life for the last 10 years-a true blessing.
Love you Ben.
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If we've said it once, we've said it a thousand times: Eat a bag of d*cks, cancer.
Somehow, Herbstreit managed to perform his job later that night, doing color commentary for the Ravens-Bengals game on Thursday Night Football. The Twitter account MLFootball offered a loving tribute to Ben before the game:
Thank you https://t.co/z99SVN9dhE
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 8, 2024
But it was this morning on College GameDay that Herbstreit brought everyone to tears.
The show was on location in Baton Rouge for the Alabama-LSU game and ESPN showed this video narrated by Herbstreit, which he posted on Twitter:
Thank you again for all the outpouring of love for our Ben. I can’t tell you how much it means to me and my family.
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 9, 2024
He wasn’t just my best friend – he was America’s best friend ❤️ pic.twitter.com/WtpR2fHjjq
If you need a minute to wipe your tears and gather yourself, take your time. God knows, this writer did.
Herbstreit's words about unconditional love and unity are meaningful in a time of division, while the clips in the video showed how so many people loved Ben.
He was, as Herbstreit states, America's Chief Happiness Officer and America's Best Friend.
The goodest boy. Thank you Ben. https://t.co/nsMmApyU2W
— Holly Thornton 🐘🏈 (@beachmamax2) November 9, 2024
As Herbstreit said, dogs' only flaw is that they do not live long enough. And we wish he -- and all of us -- had Ben with him every Saturday morning for a few more years.
Babydog, the beloved English bulldog of West Virginia Senator-elect Jim Justice, chimed in as well:
❤️ We loved Ben. https://t.co/e1ZIJnDuGH
— Babydog Justice (@BabydogJustice) November 9, 2024
Yes, we did. And we love you too, Babydog.
Losing a dog is one of the most painful losses. I’m not sure how Kirk has been working the last few days. RIP Ben 💔😭 https://t.co/WCBk2wgI6w
— Amanda 🐼 (@MandiePandie13) November 9, 2024
Our prayers are with him right now. We cannot comprehend how he did it either.
It’s so hard to lose a best friend. I’m so sorry, Kirk. 🐾💔 pic.twitter.com/ENbtcP1VzT
— #Nats Fan Carla (@LibertyBelleCJL) November 9, 2024
My dog watched the whole piece and he never does that. Dogs are the greatest and glad you shared Ben with everyone. pic.twitter.com/5st2z64qBm
— Troy Walker (@TroyWalk222) November 9, 2024
Yall know that saying “I’m not crying, you’re crying.”? I’m 100% the one crying. https://t.co/4sM2hYhM8b
— Brian LaLima (@BLima790) November 9, 2024
Let it out. This writer has absolutely started leaking again. Heavily.
Ok. I'm gonna ugly cry now. RIP Ben. You were the bestest boy. 💔 https://t.co/gIU7WYve0X
— 🍹 Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock (@kimmie_c_) November 9, 2024
I’m not crying. I’m not crying.
— Redacted (@LostSoul_76) November 9, 2024
Ben was a treasure to the country, Kirk. Thank you for sharing his love. #RIPBen https://t.co/AD3vnkRr0D
If you watched college football, you loved Ben. America loved this dog! https://t.co/SNiqReB9vL
— Mark Warner (@mwarner95) November 9, 2024
We are all going to miss Ben. But no one as much as Herbstreit.
They’re better than us.
— ShesWithBruce (@ShesWithBruce) November 9, 2024
They come to serve. They understand the fullness of Life. They live in Now. They never forget who they are. They love beyond our comprehension. If there are saints and angels among us, they’re four footed. https://t.co/vHkDAA0AIk
And God said, 'I will send them to Earth without wings, so no one suspects they are angels.'
God bless you and keep you as you return to your rightful place in Heaven, Ben.
You were the goodest boy and you truly were America's Best Friend.
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