Former MLB Prospect Brian Kirby Dies on Church Rooftop in 'Tragic Accident'

NEED TO KNOW

• Brian Kirby, a former MLB prospect, died on a church roof he was working on last week
• Kirby was 46 and is survived by his wife and two daughters
• "He was a highly skilled and experienced HVAC technician, and his loss is deeply felt," Graves Memorial Baptist Church said in a statement

Brian Kirby, a former MLB prospect, died on a church roof in Arkansas on Wednesday, April 15. He was 46.

The Pulaski County Sheriff's deputies were called to Graves Memorial Baptist Church in North Little Rock, Ark., at about 11:20 a.m., according to The Christian Post, citing a sheriff's office report. Deputies found Kirby unresponsive on the roof after using a drone to locate his body “near two air conditioning units on the roof.”

PEOPLE reached out to the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office, which had no further comment due to the ongoing death investigation.

Graves Memorial Baptist Church described Kirby's death as a “tragic accident” in a Facebook statement, adding that he was working on the building's HVAC system as an employee of Kirby Heating and Air. 

“Tragically, he lost his life. He was a highly skilled and experienced HVAC technician, and his loss is deeply felt,” the church said in an April 15 statement, adding that church services were canceled that night. 

“We ask that you please pray for the Brian Kirby family, the Kirby Heating and Air team, and all those impacted by this heartbreaking situation,” the church continued. “May God bring comfort and peace in the midst of this sorrow.”

Kirby's cousin, Allison Avra Guerin, remembered Kirby as “one of the good ones.” 

“There are things of this world that I will just never understand,” Guerin wrote on Facebook. “It truly breaks my heart to its core. But, I do know the promise of eternity on the other side. And for that, I can only rejoice through the sadness knowing Brian is there celebrating until we meet again soon.”

Kirby's survivors include his wife, Jennifer Kirby, and their two daughters, according to Guerin. A celebration of life is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22.

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The Cincinnati Reds drafted Kirby in the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft, according to Baseball Reference. In 2001, the Cleveland Indians drafted Kirby in that year's MLB June Amateur Draft. He played for minor league and independent league teams from 2001 to 2005.

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