John Brenkus' Dog Miraculously Saved Him From Suicide, Former ESPN Host Recalls in Famous Interview

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Meyer | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 3:42 AM ET

The sports world mourned the death of former 'Sports Science' host John Brenkus on Sunday as the motivational speaker, television host, six-time Emmy Award winner and 'NIL House' founder died at the age of 53.

Brenkus battled a deep-seated depression for several years and was vocal about his struggles, previously telling former NFL player Marcellus Wiley about his recovery.

On Sunday, a viral video resurfaced of Brenkus telling the story of how his suicide attempt involving a noose around his neck was foiled by his dog Zeppelin.

The video put a positive spin on an otherwise gloomy day of news for fans of the popular sports scientist, kinesiology buff and former ESPN host.

"I fell into a very deep depression," Brenkus says to Wiley in the video that began going viral Sunday after his death.

"I come off of selling my company, selling Sports Science, ESPN...You know the isolation that you feel living in a mountain town, the cold weather, injuries, things not feeling right, I spiraled into a deep, deep depression," Brenkus said.

His signature upbeat voiced masked the dark nature of his story.

"I was flat-out suicidal. So much so, I had a noose tied around my neck, I was ready to do it and my dog Zeppelin came to my rescue literally, pulled on my pants on my jeans, and was literally driving me crazy, wouldn't leave me alone," Brenkus added, saying he picked up his phone and called his mom afterward.

He then went to six different psychologists and psychiatrists, finally 'finding his way,' as he told to Wiley in a story shared Sunday from his Brinx TV network.