ESPN reporter Marty Smith fights back tears after tribute to college star who died in New Orleans terror attack
ESPN reporter Marty Smith struggled to contain his emotions following a poignant report on late college football player Tiger Bech.
The former Princeton star was among the 14 people killed during the deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans, when Shamsud-Din Jabbar rammed his truck into people celebrating New Year's Eve.
ESPN broadcast a feature on Bech's life and his legacy ahead of the national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame on Monday.
Smith spoke to Bech's family and friends and, at the end of the clip, cameras cut back to the reporter on the field in Atlanta.
Smith relayed a message from Bech's loved ones and then paraphrased lyrics from Lynyrd Skynyrd's hit song 'Free Bird'.
More than once, however, the ESPN reporter was forced to pause his comments as he fought back tears.
ESPN reporter Marty Smith struggled to contain his emotions following a poignant report
College football star Tiger Bech was killed during the deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans
'(His family) told me that the FBI informed them that Tiger never saw that truck coming, and although he did live for a bit longer after he was hit, that hopefully he did not suffer,' Smith said.
'That gives them some semblance of peace throughout this awful moment for the Bech family.
'I've spent a lot of time listening to 'Freebird' this week, my friends, and I will tell you: Those last couple of lines of that first stanza...
'Tiger had to be moving on... there was more he had to see..."' Smith's voice then quivered as he added: 'More College GameDay...'
