Pat McAfee couldn't appear as usual during Monday's "WWE Monday Night Raw" due to a "legitimate family emergency," according to Pro Wrestling Torch.
The former Colts punter appeared on his self-titled show prior to the WWE program Monday, but did not signal he would miss the broadcast. That led many to wonder what happened, and whether he would return to the studio Tuesday.
Per usual, McAfee wasn't out of action long. He hosted Tuesday's episode of "The Pat McAfee Show" and opened up about why he missed "WWE Monday Night Raw."
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What happened to Pat McAfee?
McAfee detailed during his show Tuesday that his father-in-law Bob died unexpectedly Monday after McAfee's afternoon show finished.
"He had been in the hospital fighting an infection," McAfee explained. "On Friday, we were told that he was probably going to be discharged by Sunday. They had figured it out, and he was going to be OK, so we all had high hopes and incredible optimism. Then yesterday, literally as the show was ending, my wife calls me and says I have to get to the hospital because there had been an emergency."
Pat McAfee addresses Monday’s WWE RAW absence after his father-in-law passed away last night.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 25, 2024
"Tell your people you love them." pic.twitter.com/nVFiCDTkrX
McAfee further detailed that he got to the hospital and — along with his wife, her mother and her aunt — saw his father-in-law "being a badass" and fighting for his life before he passed.
McAfee noted that the death was difficult for his family, especially his wife, who he described as a "daddy's girl."
"Whenever something blindsides an entire family like that, obviously, it can be wildly devastating," he said.
Still, McAfee took a bit of solace in knowing that his wife and her mother were able to tell his father-in-law that they loved him before he died.
"I think this is a nice piece of perspective and a moment to tell everybody, like, 'Hey, tell your people you love them,'" McAfee said. "You literally have no idea what's gonna come. It can literally be the last time you see somebody any time you see them."
He also thanked his listeners for allowing the show to be an escape for him that day, as he goes through the grieving process.
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Who is Pat McAfee's wife?
Pat McAfee's wife is Samantha McAfee. The two have been married since 2020 and have one child together, Mackenzie Lynn McAfee.
Samantha founded a non-profit called Fur the Brand, which helped 155 dogs and their families during their cancer fights. The non-profit has since paused operations, but said in its message announcing the decision, "This is not goodbye, it’s see you later for now!"
