Nick Saban's daughter Kristen Saban joins thousands of CFB fans in praying for Kirk Herbstreit's fan-favorite family member
Over the years, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit has become renowned for his in-depth and witty analysis on the pregame show "College GameDay." Recently, he added a new dimension to his broadcasting by bringing his dog, Ben, to the set of the show, a move that has become popular with college football fans.
Ben was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year and has been undergoing treatment. On Monday, Herbsterit revealed on X that his beloved dog's condition had deteriorated.
Fellow ESPN analyst Nick Saban's daughter, Kristen Saban, who has posted about her fondness for the dog before, reacted to the news with a heartfelt post on her Instagram stories.
Kristen reposted Kirk Herbstreit's post with the caption:
"Pray for Ben."
On Monday, Herbstreit posted a concerning update on Ben's health on various social media platforms with a plea for fans to pray for his golden retriever.
"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," Kirk Herbstreit wrote. "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. The next 24-48 hours will tell us if he has a chance or not. I'm so thankful for ALL the love so many have shown him over the last couple years. One of the hardest things I've gone through in my life."
Kirk Herbstreit and the Ben Diaries
Kirk Herbstreit has been almost ever-present on the set of ESPN's "College GameDay," but last season, he added a new dimension when he brought Ben with him to the top-billed Oregon Ducks versus Washington Huskies game for the first time.
Ben took to college football like a duck to water and has gained a significant following among football fans, many of whom appear on the set of the popular show just to interact with the dog.
In July, Ben was diagnosed with leukemia, a form of cancer that minimizes the body's chances of fighting infections. He underwent surgery in July to remove two tumors in his intestine and spleen.
This season, Kirk Herbstreit has tagged along Ben everywhere "College GameDay" has traveled to before delivering the bad news about the dog's health this week.