Ripken served with several athletic teams in North Carolina.
NORTH CAROLINA, USA β A beloved furry friend of the Durham Bulls and the North Carolina State Wolfpack is being remembered by many.
Ripken passed away on Jan. 1 after complications from a serious, undiagnosed medical condition.
Ripken began serving several athletic teams in North Carolina at the age of three, according to a post on Facebook.
βWhether Ripken was retrieving baseball bats for the Durham Bulls, the Holly Springs Salamanders, or the Savannah Bananas; bumping fists and dropping pucks for the Carolina Hurricanes; or fetching kicking tees for the North Carolina State University football team (Go Pack!), Ripken was happiest when he was surrounded by people and making friends (and maybe eating a hot dog or two),β the Facebook post said.
Ripken assisted both the Durham Bulls and the NC State football team for four seasons. During his last season, he helped with a marriage proposal at the Carter-Finley Stadium and was the Grand Marshal during a Christmas parade.Β
On Dec. 10, Ripken performed the ceremonial puck drop at the Carolina Hurricanes βNorth Carolinaβ night.Β
Ripkenβs final appearance was on Dec. 22. He had the opportunity to retrieve a kicking tee for the Carolina Panthers at their last home game of the season.Β
βThank you, Ripken, for all the amazing memories you have given us. You were a once in a lifetime dog and will be so incredibly missed,β the Facebook post said.
NC State Athletics also posted the following statement to X:Β
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