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Gary O'Brien, known to Columbus community as 'The Arena Guy,' passes away unexpectedly

Gary O’Brien, known to many as The Arena Guy, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — People around Columbus are mourning the loss of a beloved community member Friday. 

Gary O’Brien, known to many as The Arena Guy, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday. 

O’Brien served as director of communications for Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment up until his death. He was also known for posting about upcoming concerts and events on his popular blog under the pseudonym, The Arena Guy. 

In his most recent post on Wednesday, O’Brien promoted John Mulaney’s visit to the Schottenstein Center. 

"A special person with exceptional talents and skills, but anyone who knew him loved his personality," Ohio State Department of Athletics Director Gene Smith said in a statement Friday. "Genuine and authentic!"

According to his LinkedIn, O’Brien graduated from Illinois State University, double majoring in mass communication and speech communication with a minor in public relations. Prior to his time working with Columbus entertainment venues, O’Brien served as the director of communications and project development at The Ohio State University. 

The cause of his death has not yet been released. 

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