Over the past couple of years, Kirk Herbstreit’s beloved dog Ben captivated the hearts of many college football fans across the country. And apparently, that included United States President Joe Biden.
Kirk Herbstreit began integrating Ben into his college football analysis last year, bringing him to games he was calling and showing him off on the set of College GameDay.
Unfortunately, Ben passed away a few weeks ago, sparking heartbreak throughout the college football community. And it sounds like Joe Biden felt that heartbreak, too.
On Wednesday afternoon, Herbstreit revealed that he received a personal letter from Biden offering some kind words regarding the loss of the beloved golden retriever.
“Politics aside-REALLY honored to receive this personal note from [Joe Biden] sharing his appreciation and compassion for the loss of our beloved Ben. I can only hope that Ben knows how many people he touched,” Herbstreit said in a post on X sharing a photo of the signed message that Biden sent to him.
“I was so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Ben,” Biden said in his letter.
“Ben brought so much comfort and unconditional love to millions of Americans across our nation,” the letter continued. “In your most joyful moments and your most grief-stricken days, he was there, sensitive to every unspoken feeling and emotion.”
“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,” the message concluded.
Regardless of where Herbstreit stands politically, it was pretty clear that he appreciated the kind words from the sitting president.
Biden’s words are mirrored by many other Americans who were captivated by Ben whenever they got a chance to see him on a college football Saturday.