Cal Fire received a distress call on Wednesday afternoon about two injured climbers who fell in Tahquitz Rock area of the San Bernardino National Forest (near Idyllwild). The terrain made it very difficult to reach them, and after hiking to their locations, emergency crews found both Escobar (31), and fellow climber Chelsea Walsh (33) had died, apparently of injuries sustained during their fall.
Escobar played for the SDSU Aztecs from 2009-2012 and in 2013 became a second round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys. Following his football career, Escobar became a firefighter, he had been working at the Long Beach Fire Department in February.
SDSU Aztecs' head coach, Brady Hoke who was Escobar's coach, said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gavin’s family. I know his wife, Sarah, and daughters, Josey and Charlotte, were everything to him. Gavin was a great man, father, son and teammate and will be deeply missed by all.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images