John Brenkus Said His Dog Zepelin Came to His Rescue When He Tried to Take His Own Life

On June 1, 2025, a post to Sports Science co-creator John Brenkus's Facebook revealed that he died the previous day. The 54-year-old had been battling depression, and according to the statement, he "lost his fight" with the terrible illness. This comes two years after he appeared on Marcellus Wiley's "Dat Dude TV" YouTube show, where he discussed a time in his life when he was counted out.

John created Sports Science in 2007, which was an hour-long show on Fox Sports Network. The series was bought by ESPN in 2010, which chose not to air new episodes but rather small vignettes throughout its existing programming. The media personality told Marcellus this was a dark time in his life. Selling the show to ESPN propelled John into a deep depression that resulted in a suicide attempt thwarted by his dog. Here's what we know.

When John sold his company and show, he was living in Park City, Utah, which was a tough experience for him. The cold, coupled with the isolation that can accompany living in a mountainous area, made John feel extremely isolated and alone. Although he recognized his success and the idea that he "made it," something didn't feel right.

John said he "spiraled into a deep, deep depression" and was "flat out suicidal." It got to the point where one day John literally had a noose around his neck and was "ready to do it" when his dog Zeppelin came to his rescue by pulling on his pants. He was "going crazy" and simply would not leave John alone. "In my suicidal funk, I was like, 'What are you doing?'" he asked himself. That's when John called his mom and asked for help.

John described his struggles with mental health as a "battle" to get better. "I am like mentally lost," he said. The media personality went through six different psychologists and psychiatrists before he found "the way." He began seeing Dr. Christopher Sendi, who specializes in "IV ketamine for severe depression, bipolar depression, and mood disorders," per Psychology Today. The former host did not say whether or not he participated in ketamine treatments.

What John did say is that Dr. Sendi led him down the right path. "He found a solution, and I have never been depressed a day in my life from that moment forward," said John. Dr. Sendi described depression as being stuck in a thought loop that a person cannot get out of. Marcellus asked John to paint a picture of what his depression really felt like. "The darkness is very real, and it's inside all of us," replied John. He said wanting to kill himself made sense in the moment, but there is hope.