Weeks before the start of the 2024 regular season, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel succumbed to some unfortunate fate. The Hawaii native made a commendable name for himself in his collegiate career in 2019. Although his professional career witnessed him trying to settle in a couple of universities before finally cementing his foot in the Oregon Ducks in 2023, his personal life was the stark opposite of this. Gabriel had been with his girlfriend, Zo Caswell, from the time the two caught the public eye.

Caswell’s undying support for Gabriel was a testament to the loving bond they shared, often making several envious. One more thing that made Gabriel’s relationship with his girlfriend envious was their furry baby, Winston. The little schnauzer puppy was a crucial part of Gabriel and Caswell’s life.

“Winston went into what we thought would be a simple surgery. However, during the surgery, it was discovered that there was an irreparable issue with his stomach. We ended up putting him down peacefully early this morning,” Dillon wrote, explaining what went wrong with Winston. The decision was hardly easy for the two. Expressing their grief, Gabriel also wrote, “Rest in peace to our sweet Winston. You brought more love and joy into our lives than we could’ve ever imagined. You will forever be our son and we will miss you endlessly.”

Several of his fellow QBs from the CFB have taken to the comment section to offer their condolences to the Oregon QB. One of them was Julian Lewis. Lewis commented a disheartened face emoji to the news, expressing his condolences to the couple. As Gabriel wades through the tough times, fans can only hope that he would cope well with it, especially since Winston was a pivotal part of his transition to Oregon.

Winston’s role in Dillon Gabriel’s Oregon transition

After the University of Central Florida and the University of Oklahoma, Dillon Gabriel found his new home in Oregon in December 2023. However, little did the fans fathom that they would be getting 2 new members in one recruit. Gabriel and his little friend Winston. Winston had charmed his way into each Oregon player’s heart, even to the extent that Gabriel teased his new teammates jokingly, comparing them to Winston.

Gabriel joked Winston has ‘elite quickness’ just like Jordan James, Tez Johnson, and Terrance Ferguson. “I think he’s ready for some reps,” captioned Gabriel on his Instagram in May 2022. Then, the QB revealed that Winston was the best thing he purchased with his NIL money. Little did he fathom then that his companion would be leaving them soon. Rest in peace, Winston.