Fans of ESPN sportscaster Kirk Herbstreit are likely familiar with his service dog, Ben, who travels with him to football games across the country.
But recently, Herbstreit shared a heartbreaking post, announcing that the golden retriever’s health is “getting worse and worse” and asked fans for their prayers.
Herbstreit, a well-known sportscaster and college football analyst on ESPN and Amazon Prime, wrote on social media on November 4 that his service dog Ben underwent a second chemo injection on October 23, and said the dog’s health has been “getting worse and worse” since then.
“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 [toxins] from his body and give him a chance. The next 24-48 hours will tell us if he has a chance or not.”
Herbstreit called the experience “one of the hardest things” he’s gone through in life, and called the 10-year-old dog his “best friend and companion.” “I love him with all of my heart,” he wrote.
“If you’re a spiritual person I’d love for you to pray for my boy,” Herbstreit wrote to his fans and followers. “Please pray for Ben and hope he pulls out of it.”
Ben has become an unlikely celebrity among football fans. He’s a fixture of Herbstreit’s social media accounts, and fans have been excited to catch a glimpse of the golden retriever on game days.
“He’ll stop by a tailgate, and people are like, ‘Oh, my God, look! It’s Ben! Ben’s here!’ It’s the funniest thing to see the reaction from people,” Herbstreit told The Athletic last year.
“He’s kind of become a national phenomenon at this point,” production coordinator Ryan Miller said.
Herbstreit said that Ben, a certified emotional support animal, brings him comfort when he is away from home, and has helped him get through difficult times, like when his son Zak was hospitalized with a heart condition.
Herbstreit wrote that Ben was in the hospital overnight, and that he would be picking him up today to receive another round of Vitamin C.
It’s heartbreaking to see your beloved service dog go through such a health battle, and we are sending prayers to Herbstreit and his sweet dog Ben 🙏😢
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