ESPN’s Laura Rutledge recently shared a heartbreaking memory of her late brother, Alex. Speaking on the Pivot Podcast for Mother’s Day, the normally composed host let her guard down. She shed tears for the younger sibling she lost too soon, showing a vulnerable side rarely seen on television.

“He would be so proud, but he would also be like, “How did you do this?” Laura said. Rutledge admitted that he was always the one who kept her grounded despite her growing success. She shared that while others often praised her accomplishments, her brother would jokingly pull her “back down to earth,” reminding her to stay humble.

Alex passed away in a tragic 2018 cave-diving accident. He and Laura shared a tight four-year age gap. Now married to former baseball player Josh Rutledge, having tied the knot in 2013, she feels the sting of her brother’s absence most when watching her two young children grow up without their uncle. In the podcast, her feelings burst as she said, “He was so young.”

Former NFL star Ryan Clark has known Rutledge for years, yet he had no idea about her tragic loss. The revelation left Clark visibly moved. He gently asked how she managed to carry such heavy private grief while constantly smiling under the bright lights of national television.

“You know, it’s, I mean, we’re still, you guys know, like dealing with grief, it’s like it morphs into so many versions of itself, Laura said. “And I think, just as a family, we kept things very private. And that was kind of my choice. I felt like I can’t, you know, I can’t talk about him without breaking down, and that was always. That’s always going to be the case. But I felt as if I could hold it together; that would be good for my family.”

 Laura’s Journey Has Been a Rollercoaster of Emotions

The 37-year-old has built her name as one of the notable reporters in the NFL. She started with the NFL Live to now, starring on Monday Night Football. The mother of two never planned on working in television, but destiny had its own plan. She preferred staying behind the mic, and the radio helped her do that. She accidentally stepped into the sports radio, which gave her the push to step out of her comfort zone. From wearing PJs to the radio studio to turning heads at the NFL Draft by charisma and style, Laura had a full circle of life.

From having no background in sports, she built herself into one of the most recognizable names in sports broadcasting. Early in her career, she faced repeated rejection from ESPN and was often told she was too young to be on air. However, a break came when the San Diego Padres gave her an opportunity as a fill-in reporter, which became her first proper step into professional sports media. Just a year after those early setbacks, ESPN brought her on board at just 25 years old, marking a major turning point in her career.

“Ultimately, staying power comes in credibility and class and being kind and all those things that seem like maybe they wouldn’t get you ahead, but I can tell you that they will. It’s just about the patience to get there.”