ESPN host and proud dog dad Kirk Herbstreit had to say goodbye to his golden retriever Ben, also known as the “Chief Happiness Officer of Football,” who just passed away from cancer.
Herbstreit got Ben to be his service dog 10 years ago. Ben started off as Herbstreit’s faithful sidekick, keeping him company during so much time spent on the road away from his family.
Ben’s career as a canine football coach and social media star started off with small and sometimes unexpected TV appearances with his dad, such as the example below.
Kirk Herbstreit's golden retriever, Ben, (adorably) interrupts the USC-LSU pregame show on ABC. pic.twitter.com/XZ33Dmgfh3
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 1, 2024
But Ben’s charisma was undeniable and his fanbase steadily grew.
Ben found his way into the action this morning#CollegeGameday pic.twitter.com/juA9uo7ZbW
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) October 5, 2024
Ben turned into a football mascot in his own right, earning himself the role of “Chief Happiness Officer of Football.”
And Ben even got his own media credentials!
Just want to thank the @NFL teams PR depts and college football SID’s that we’ve been with this year for making credentials for Ben every week. It’s been so much fun to see him embraced by so many.
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) October 17, 2024
Truly appreciate it!
These 2 were from previous weeks that I just got! pic.twitter.com/22mUrZzgbG
But after a valiant battle with cancer, Ben passed away – Devastating his family, friends, and army of fans.
Within a day of the sad news, fans started showing their support all over social media. And also in the crowd, turning in signs supporting their team for signs supporting Ben.
Herbstreit also posted an emotional and inspirational video of Ben’s story. It’s a must-watch but have some tissues ready.
UPDATE: Soon after Ben’s passing, Herbstreit’s youngest Golden Retriever, Peter, started cohosting with his dad!
