Additional details about former Ohio State offensive lineman Ben Christman's death emerge in his obituary
It's been a little over a week since Ben Christman was found dead in his off-campus apartment near the UNLV campus. Initially, there were some concerns that foul play may be involved. It was reported that the player had been dead for some hours when an officer of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrived on the scene.
According to Ben Christman's obituary, the former Ohio State, Kentucky, and UNLV lineman died peacefully in his sleep of unknown natural causes. His body is being laid to rest at Hummel Funeral Home in his native Akron, Ohio.
When the police arrived at the scene of his death, two teammates were performing CPR on the player who they said they found lying unconscious on his back. Christman reportedly complained of chest pains during practice, a day before his passing.
A brief excerpt of Ben Christman's obituary read:
"Those who knew Ben will remember him for his joyful spirit, kind heart and unshakeable commitment to those around him, he leaves behind a family who adored him, friends and teammates who admired him, and a community who will forever cherish the impact he made during his brief time with us."
UNLV's Dan Mullen's message for Ben Christman's family
On Wednesday, UNLV Rebels head coach Dan Mullen released a statement with the following message for the late player's family:
“Our team’s heart is broken to hear of Ben’s passing, since the day Ben set foot on our campus a month ago, he made the Rebels a better program. Ben was an easy choice for our Leadership Committee as he had earned the immediate respect, admiration and friendship of all his teammates.”
Ben Christman transferred to UNLV in late December 2024, leaving the Kentucky Wildcats after just one season. He initially enrolled for Ohio State in 2021 and transferred to Kentucky in May 2023. He was initially a four-star recruit and was considered a three-star transferee when he joined the UNLV Rebels last year.