Former NFL tight end Gavin Escobar was one of two people found dead in Idyllwild, Calif., on Wednesday after a rock climbing accident, according to USA Today. He was only 31 years old.
According to the report, firefighters found the bodies of Escobar and Chelsea Walsh, 33, in the San Bernardino National Forest after a rock climbing accident was reported around noon local time. Escobar and Walsh would have scaled a rock face (the vertical surface of a rock). Rain and thunderstorms passed through the area prior to the crash, although it is unclear whether these played a role in the incident. The extent of Escobar and Walsh’s climbing experience is also unclear
The Cowboys’ second-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Escobar played four seasons for Dallas before ending his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2017. He recorded 30 catches and eight touchdowns during of that period, all with the Cowboys.
After his NFL career, Escobar joined the Long Beach, Calif., Fire Department. The department paid tribute shortly after Escobar’s tragic death.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the death off duty of Long Beach Firefighter Gavin Escobar. Hired on February 5, 2022, Firefighter Escobar was assigned to Fire Station 3 on Team B,” read an article on the department’s social networks. . “Fireman Escobar leaves behind his wife and two young children.”
