According to a Thursday post on his Facebook page, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lost his dog, Zeus, earlier this week as he was forced to put him to sleep due to cancer being found in his intestines.
“Zeus was with me for 9 years and was my first dog,” Roethlisberger wrote. “He was my man and had been there through Super Bowls, tough losses, injuries, snow storms and the heat. He was the best and I feel blessed to have had him in my/our lives for so long. I know he’s in heaven waiting to play tag or just cuddle again soon.”
Roethlisberger and dogs have become pretty synonymous over the years as the quarterback’s foundation has distributed more than $950,000 in grants to K-9 units across the country since 2007.
Just a few weeks ago, The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation, along with The Giving Back Fund, announced that the first K-9 grant of the 2013 season was given to the Bellbrook Fire Department, located northeast of Cincinnati. In addition, they announced that they again plan on distributing grants to K-9 units of police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers this season.
It’s tough losing a family pet and as a dog lover myself, my condolences certainly go out the Roethlisberger family. I am sure Zeus lived a good life and was thankful for it.
