The Tennessee Titans cornerback is spotted sitting outside of the rubble of his home after it was destroyed in an explosion that killed his 61-year-old dad Robert M. Farley.
- August 23, 2023
AceShowbiz - Caleb Farley is mourning the death of his father in a horrendous tragedy. The NFL star's dad Robert M. Farley died overnight in an explosion that destroyed his North Carolina home on Monday night, August 21.
First responders arrived at the house a few minutes after midnight Tuesday. Kent Greene, director of Iredell County Fire Services and Emergency Management, said Caleb's father was found dead in the debris of the Mooresville house, while another person was injured.
Christian Rogers, 25, who is described as a friend of the family, exited the collapsed structure and was transported to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte with a concussion. He is awake and alert, but has not yet been discharged.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation, but Kent said gas must have accumulated over a long period and likely found its way to an ignition source. The blast, which local authorities have ruled accidental, originated in a bedroom and did not damage any surrounding homes.
Caleb, who is listed as the homeowner, was not there at the time of the explosion, but he was on the scene on Tuesday. He was cooperating with authorities and was photographed sitting outside of the rubble of his home. The Tennessee Titans cornerback looked downcast as he sat on the hood of a car, wearing a purple hoodie.
Over on his Instagram Stories, Caleb paid tribute to his late father. "Daddy you a legend I love you 4L," he wrote over a video of people gathering and raising their glasses seemingly to salute his father.
"You wasn't suppose to go out like this pop," the 24-year-old penned alongside another clip showing people praying together. He also shared a snap of his late father and added an image of a white bird over his head.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel told the team about Caleb's loss during a practice in Nashville on Tuesday and the players took a knee in an apparent prayer. Mike assured that the team will do everything possible to support the grieving athlete. "That's the most important thing is to focus on him and ... everything else is pretty trivial," he said after practice.
