“All Your Touching Notes & Messages Have Really Hit Home”– Kirk Herbstreit Shares Heartfelt “Thank You” To Everyone Sharing Memories Of His Late Dog, Ben

Who's cutting onions? All afternoon, I have been a teary mess over a dog I never met, but the way Kirk Herbstreit has captivated the nation is unlike anything I've seen in a while. Ben, the oldest of Herbstreit's four dogs, crossed the rainbow bridge after battling cancer. Ben was an integral part of College GameDay, as fans tuned in each week to hear sports commentary ahead of the college football games of the day and see Herbstreit's certified good boy, Ben. The perfectly groomed golden retriever traveled nationwide with Herbstreit, winning over the hearts of viewers, College GameDay attendees, football players, and mascots each week.  However, this year, fans noticed that Ben was not attending as many games after Herbstreit shared that he had been diagnosed with cancer. While receiving treatment, Ben attended the games that he could; however, after his second chemo shot, Ben experienced complications.  "I’ve had so many people asking me about Ben that I wanted to let you know-Ben had a 2nd chemo injection on October 23rd and from that day has been getting worse and worse. He has lost use of his back legs-almost like they’re paralyzed. He can barely walk. He hasn’t eaten in 3 days. I’m currently in Pennsylvania with a holistic Dr who is administering a 3 day Vitamin C IV hoping it will flush the toxics from his body and give him a chance." Herbstreit asked fans to pray for Ben and send positive thoughts as he hoped Ben would bounce back from this complication. Sadly, his next Ben update was one that no one wished to hear. Ben was peacefully laid to rest after discovering that his cancer had spread.  “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 Ben’s 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 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 other’s backs. He was with me more than anyone at home and traveling with me for work—such an easygoing 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." https://twitter.com/KirkHerbstreit/status/1854589587051430022 Shortly after the news broke, football programs, friends, family, and fans of Ben flooded social media sharing times they met the special dog or sharing stories of their favorite Ben moments from College GameDay. Herbstreit's friend and colleague, Pat McAfee, shared a heartfelt tribute to Ben, stating how much he will miss traveling with him and having on the College GameDay set. "Ben was a bright spot in everybody’s lives.. if you met him, you loved him. If you watched him operate, you couldn’t help but smile.. You 2 were an amazing team of positive vibes. Thank you for letting us experience the greatness that was Ben. You’re a phenomenal father to all of your kids.. watching you has inspired and taught me what all is possible with my own children and the way you treat your dogs/Ben is no different. I will miss my friend but, we all know that Ben’ll be waiting in Heaven for us. Godspeed Ben. You done good." https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1854631669975650468 Given the overwhelming love and support that Herbstreit has received since sharing the heartbreaking news, he took a second to thank everyone who has reached out to him or shared a memory of Ben. "My phone hasn’t stopped ringing for the last 3 hours from texts and tweets about my boy Ben. I’m truly overwhelmed by how many people he touched- and from the bottom of my heart, thank you for sending your best wishes and letting me know how much you loved him. This has been a really tough day and all your touching notes and messages have really hit home. Thank you for taking the time to reach out and sharing such beautiful words about Ben. Appreciate all of you." While it's devastating to lose a pet, especially one that you were so closely bonded to, it must also have warmed Herbstreit's heart to see how universally loved Ben was. On Saturday, College GameDay will honor the "Chief of Happiness" with a segment dedicated to Ben. I know I won't be the only one who will be a wreck during it, but what a special way to honor a dog that brought so much joy to the viewers. All dogs go to Heaven. https://twitter.com/KirkHerbstreit/status/1854629152030441794