Two climbers were killed in what appears to have been an accident in California, and one of them was former Dallas Cowboys tight end, Gavin Escobar, it was confirmed on Wednesday. Age-wise, Escobar was 31.
Tahquitz Rock is located in the San Bernardino National Forest near Idyllwild, and on Wednesday, Cal Fire and the Riverside County Fire Department tweeted that they had attempted to rescue two injured rock climbers from the area.
When rescuers finally arrived later that day, the agency reported that “both individuals perished at the site.” Both Escobar and Chelsea Walsh, 33, were found dead, and their bodies were identified by the Riverside County coroner’s office.
The Cowboys used the 47th pick of the 2013 NFL draught to select Escobar.
He spent four years with the Dallas Cowboys before joining the Baltimore Ravens for a single campaign. He played his final season with the Cowboys and ended his NFL career with 30 receptions and eight touchdowns.
Late Thursday, the Cowboys remembered their tight end with a tweet tribute. In 2018, Escobar ended his career in the NFL. This year, Escobar joined the Long Beach Fire Department as a firefighter (LBFD).
An official Facebook statement from the LBFD read, “It is with deep sadness that we announce the off-duty death of Long Beach Firefighter Gavin Escobar.” According to the LBFD, he has a wife and two young kids back home.