AP – Mooresville, NC Caleb Farley, a cornerback for the Tennessee Titans, lost his father in an explosion that occurred overnight at their North Carolina home, which also left another person hurt and completely destroyed the home of the NFL star.
Kent Greene, director of Iredell County Fire Services and Emergency Management, said that 61-year-old Robert M. Farley was found dead in the basement of their Mooresville home Tuesday morning.
According to Greene the first responders reached Caleb Farley’s home after midnight.
Greene said that initially first responders arrived at the Caleb Farley’s house shortly after midnight on Tuesday and found 25-year-old Christian Rogers emerging from the demolished structure. Rogers, described by Greene as a family friend, was taken to Atrium Health Carolina’s Medical Center in Charlotte due to injuries caused by debris. Greene said he is awake and alert but hasn’t been released yet.
The origin of the explosion is still being looked into, but according to Greene, gas likely gathered over a lengthy period of time and may have come into contact with an ignition source. The explosion happened in a bedroom and didn’t do any damage to any neighboring residences, according to local officials.
The home of Caleb Farley is set on a huge parcel of land
Near Lake Norman, about 28 miles (45 kilometers) north of Charlotte, the house is situated on a sizable lot.The property value of the house was estimated at around $2 million in county records. In the front yard on Tuesday, insulation dangled from trees, and a king-size mattress and a shattered coffee mug with “Virginia Tech Dad” written on it lay on the lawn. The explosion blew debris from the house and window frames at least 50 yards away.
According to Greene, “There would have been no surviving this – that was my first thought.” “And I was shocked to learn that someone had fled the scene. There may be a portion of the garage remains in the 6,300-square-foot house.Caleb Farley is listed in property records as the homeowner, with his birth and upbringing in nearby Maiden. Greene said that Farley wasn’t at the scene during the explosion, but he was there Tuesday morning.
The loss of Caleb Farley at practice in Nashville, and the athletes kneeled in prayer
Titans coach Mike Vrabel told the team about Caleb Farley’s loss during practice in Nashville and players dropped to a knee in prayer, Vrabel said. He added that the team will do everything it can to support him. After practice, Vrabel said, “The most important thing is to focus on him and… everything else is really secondary.”
Caleb Farley, taken 22nd overall in the 2021 draft, was placed on injured reserve last November with a back injury. He’s played 12 games in his first two seasons and was listed physically unable to perform due to present limitations, as the Titans wrapped up their training camp this week.The 6-foot-2, 197-pound cornerback from college was the first well-known athlete to decide from playing in 2020 because of the coronavirus outbreak.Titans safety Kevin Byard lost his mother in June 2022. He said he had urged Caleb Farley to have faith in his ability before returning to North Carolina.
“I know he lost his mom at a young age, so he’s already been through so many adverse situations,” Byard said. “So, it’s sad. And, you know, as a team and as brothers, we can do everything that we can and what I can do is be there for him.”Where the explosion occurred, Laura Wild, who lives two doors down, said she heard a loud boom around midnight but didn’t go outside to see what happened. She said she was tired because she had been up all night with her newborn son.
When it happened, I thought, ‘What was that?’ My husband said, ‘I think it was just thunder,'” Wild said. ” Our power didn’t go out, so we didn’t walk outside to check. We walked around the house and everything was fine. We went to bed. But when we came out in the morning… the situation was really bad. Just devastating.”
Wild said that she didn’t really know the Farleys.
Greene said it’s still not clear who might be responsible for the explosion because multiple agencies are investigating its cause. He said a gas meter, used to measure the amount of flowing fuel gases in and out of buildings, has been separated to measure the amount of accumulated gas in the vicinity, and there’s no risk to other community members.
Dominion Energy spokesperson Bonita Billingsley Harris said in an email that the utility was the first to respond to the scene and was working with investigators.
The tragic incident involving Caleb Farley’s father has sent shockwaves through the community and the sports world alike. The sudden loss has not only affected the Farley family but has also garnered the support and condolences of fans, teammates, and fellow athletes.
Caleb Farley, a promising young cornerback in the NFL, had already faced significant challenges in his journey to professional football. His decision to opt out of the 2020 college football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic was a bold move that showcased his commitment to his health and his loved ones. Unfortunately, life had more challenges in store for him as he now navigates the aftermath of the devastating explosion that claimed his father’s life.
The explosion itself remains under investigation, with authorities carefully examining every detail to determine its cause. As the community grapples with the shock of the incident, questions about gas leaks, ignition sources, and potential safety measures have come to the forefront. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the importance of maintaining proper safety protocols within our homes and communities.