ESPN's Adam Schefter commemorated the loss of one of his dogs, 15-year-old labradoodle Benny, who died Wednesday morning.
Schefter posted a lengthy tribute to Benny, revealing his cancer diagnosis last year and that he was scheduled to be euthanized on Wednesday morning, but passed away in his sleep overnight.
Schefter has four other dogs, Ella, Bailey, Apple and Brady, all Labradoodles.
Several years ago, Benny received his first cancer diagnosis and went into remission after doctors removed one of his kidneys.
After an injury that occurred last February, doctors revealed to Schefter that Benny had torn his ACL, had liver cancer and other masses that spread to his lungs at the same time.
He was given two or three months to live and he persevered for almost a year.
Adam Schefter has commemorated the loss of one of his dogs, 15-year-old labradoodle Benny.
Schefter revealed Benny's long health journey and battle with liver cancer since February
Schefter has four dogs to cry with: Ella, Bailey, Apple and Brady, who are also Labradoodles.
“This was a day we knew was coming since last February and yet there is still an overwhelming sense of sadness,” Schefter said on social media. 'We had planned to put down our beloved Benny, who was our baby for over 15 years. He had liver cancer that had spread, he could barely stand and he stopped eating.'
'We scheduled a vet to come to our house today at 11am and we spent all of Monday and Tuesday crying about Benny and with Benny. And then when we woke up this morning to the day we dreaded, Benny was gone. He died in his sleep. “We are in shock.”
'Our life revolves around our family, our dogs and, for better or worse, my job. But unlike our family or my job, dogs never irritate us: only love and loyalty. Benny was one of our five Labradoodles; but he really was one more.
'He was not a good boy; He was the best boy and we told him that regularly. Benny never bit anyone, he never attacked any of our other dogs when they attacked him, he was a very kind boy. Once, when he was a puppy, he jumped out the window of a moving car to chase a pit bull before my wife had to stop and chase him. But other than that, Benny didn't give us any problems except his health.'
Benny's death is not the first canine tribute from an ESPN analyst in recent months.
Kirk Herbstreit's 10-year-old golden retriever, who frequently accompanied him on trips during his assignments, passed away in November after a battle with leukemia.
Schefter revealed that he relied on another deceased ESPN colleague to help him with Benny's impending walk across the rainbow bridge.
Benny's tragic death is not the first canine tribute from an ESPN analyst in recent months
“I remember the next week calling my dear friend Chris Mortensen because he was one of the only close friends I had who understood what it was like to love and lose animals,” Schefter continued.
'I cried to Mort and listened to him talk about how much our pets mean to us. He went out of his way to pick me up, and did so briefly, until a few days later I received a call informing me that we had lost Mort as well. My last conversation with Mort was about Benny; now they're both gone.'
'From the moment we were told Benny had two or three months to live, I counted every time we passed the 23rd day of a month as another victory for Benny. He accumulated victories when he did not expect them, in July, August and September, until another winter that should not have arrived.
'There is a video we posted on our dogs' Instagram account from September 29, when Benny jumped up and took the pizza from our daughter, refusing to put it down. Her energy and fight for someone fighting such an insidious disease was impressive. But his decline from that day, when cancer ravaged his body, was fierce.'