The Cleveland Browns community is mourning the loss of one of their former players on Saturday.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, former Browns running back Ben Gay was pronounced dead after fatal car accident that occurred on July 29, with an obituary being published on Saturday. “Benjamin passed into the care of our Lord,” the obituary released by Rowanoak Mortuary & Crematory began.
“Benjamin was a stalwart Christian and a proud attendee to Platte Valley Baptist Church. ‘He loved to spend time with his family, work on cars, and ensured that the yards of his family members were well cared for,” the obituary continued about the former Cleveland Browns RB.
“Benjamin enjoyed staying busy, and was always happy when he had something to do. Benjamin is survived by his spouse, Margarita Gay, his son, Damian Ortega, his daughters, Julie Ortega and Brianna Morales, his brother, Rodley Johnson, his sisters, Kathy Gay, Benika Gay, Stacey Butler, Lola Smith, and many nieces and nephews.”
Ben Gay Had Long Football Journey Before Making The Cleveland Browns
Before making it to the NFL, Gay emerged as a top prospect at Spring High School and went on to play for Baylor University, before eventually transferring to Garden City Community College in Kansas. He went undrafted in 2001, but was signed by the Browns for the 2001 season.
The Browns used Gay as a kick returner and he featured sparingly in the offense as a third-string running back. The electric Gay immediately became a fan favorite, although he was primarily a special-teams player over the first eight games of the season.
His breakthrough game for the Cleveland Browns came against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10 as he finished with 56 yards off 18 carries and scored an early seven-yard touchdown.
Gay finished his rookie year with 51 carries for 172 yards, also averaging 22.3 yards on 22 kickoff returns. His touchdown against the Ravens ended up being his only career score, and was then waived by the Browns in April 2002.
The Indianapolis Colts then signed Gay and placed him on the roster for training camp, but he was cut ahead of the 2002 NFL season. Gay also played in the Canadian Football League, representing the Edmonton Eskimos before being picked up by the Cleveland Browns.
Gay’s career in football was then over, and he began working as a welder before starting a family. The 44-year-old was from Houston, Texas, but lived in Fort Morgan, Colorado later in life.
The running back was known for taking breaks between training camps, but shared back in 2001 he needed space to “learn the game of life” as a young individual. “I took some time off from football to learn about the game of life. When I was away from football, I learned how to be a better person. Now I’m energized because I’m playing football again, and football keeps me pure.”
