ESPN analyst and Nashville local Kirk Herbstreit recently shared a heartbreaking update on social media, describing his neighborhood as looking like a “bomb exploded” after the brutal Winter Storm Fern. The historic ice storm, which hammered Middle Tennessee earlier this week, caused massive destruction that Herbstreit says will take weeks to clean up and fully recover from.

Living in the Nashville area since 2011, Herbstreit is deeply connected to the community, and his emotional message on X highlighted just how bad things have gotten for his neighbors.

“What a crazy week it’s been here in Nashville. Almost can’t believe what this town (and I know many others in this region) have gone through. The ice storm was devastating and will take months to clean up and years to recover from. Our street look like a bomb exploded-complete devastation!” Kirk tweeted on X.

He then mentioned that his own area had been stuck without power for six straight days, making it incredibly difficult for families who were already struggling with the freezing cold and blocked-off streets.

It was a major disaster that left over 100,000 customers in the dark across Davidson County at its peak. Tragically, the extreme weather led to multiple deaths throughout the state. The sheer weight of the ice brought down countless trees and power lines, essentially paralyzing the region. Despite all the chaos, Kirk made sure to give a big shout-out to the “Good Samaritans” and arborists who were out there trying their best to help as many people as they could.

The conditions were still tough even now, with temperatures expected to stay well below freezing that weekend. The scale of the problem was massive; the Nashville Electric Service (NES) had hundreds of thousands of customers affected initially, and over 70,000 people still had no electricity almost a week later.

As the city starts to recover, local officials have opened warming centers and set up hotlines to help people clean up. If you need help, you can call the Crisis Cleanup Hotline or check TEMA Flash Reports for updates on power and safety.

However, this isn’t the only tragedy that struck to Herbstreit family over the last few months.

The Difficulties Kirk Herbstreit Has Endured

It has been an incredibly tough stretch for Kirk Herbstreit. He has dealt with several deeply personal losses. And he has still shown up for work every week.

Most recently, in September 2025, he was in the middle of broadcasting a game when he learned that his close friend, legendary songwriter Brett James, had died in a plane crash.

On top of that, fans everywhere were heartbroken when Kirk’s famous golden retriever, Ben, passed away in November 2024. He was a literal star on College GameDay and at NFL games. He was widely known as the “goodest boy” on the sidelines.

Top Stories

Tiger Woods Told to Seek Bryson DeChambeau’s Help as $500M Golf Project Hits a Rough Patch

Patrick Reed Pays a Heavy Price for Exiting LIV Golf as Worrying Update Surfaces

Did Brooks Koepka Make the Cut at Farmers Insurance Open 2026? His 2nd Round at Torrey Pines Explored

Travis Kelce Confirms Sporting Decision Away From Chiefs After TE’s Major Career News

Blue Jays Told to Thwart Dodgers’ Plan After Scott Boras Pushes 24-Year-Old Star to Reject Reds’ Historic Deal

Josh Allen Officially at Risk of Losing 21 Players as Bills Coach Quits Hours After Joe Brady Announcement

Kirk’s family has also been facing serious health battles. In early 2025, he shared that his wife, Alison, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. It was an emotional announcement. Especially since the family was already carrying heavy emotional weight from the previous year. Through it all, Kirk has been open about leaning on his faith. And on his family. To get through these difficult times.

Even before his wife’s diagnosis, the Herbstreits got shaken by another scare. Their son, Zak, who played football at Ohio State, suffered a major heart health issue. It landed him in the hospital for an extended period. Zak has been on a long road to recovery before joining On3 as an analyst.

It’s clear that despite all the fame and success, Kirk’s world revolves around the people. And the pups. He loves most.