Kirk Herbstreit, the prominent college and NFL football announcer, has revealed a personal letter he received from President Joe Biden following the death of his golden retriever, Ben. The 55-year-old ESPN and Amazon Prime commentator said he was 'really honoured' to receive the message last month.
In the typed letter, addressed to Herbstreit in Cincinnati, Ohio, Biden wrote: 'I was so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Ben. Ben brought so much comfort and unconditional love to millions of Americans across our Nation. In your most joyful moments and most grief-stricken days, he was there, sensitive to every unspoken feeling and emotion.' The president, a known dog lover, added: 'I know what it is like to lose a beloved pet, and I hope you can find some comfort in cherishing the beautiful memories you shared with Ben. He was a good boy.'
Ben, who regularly accompanied Herbstreit to games and appeared on set and the sideline, died at age 10 after battling cancer. Herbstreit shared the letter on X, writing: 'Politics aside-REALLY honored to receive this personal note from @POTUS sharing his appreciation and compassion for the loss of our beloved Ben.'
Herbstreit is an outspoken Christian but has not aligned himself with one political party. He has spoken out against police violence and criticised transgender athletes in women's sports. Despite this, he was moved by the gesture. Many followers responded positively, with one writing: 'I don’t care who the POTUS is, getting a letter is something the majority will never get. Frame it!'
Herbstreit has been a fixture on ESPN's College GameDay for decades. His willingness to bring Ben on the road endeared him to fans. After Ben's passing, his other dog, Peter, has been joining him on set. In a recent video, Peter mingled with Pat McAfee and crew, wagging his tail as McAfee barked at him.
