Rodeo fans around the country are mourning the tragic and unexpected death of bull riding champion Mason Lowe on Tuesday (Jan. 15), including country music's Sara Evans, who has close ties to him.

"Words cannot express how my heart breaks," Evans writes on Instagram, also sharing a photo of Lowe, who was her best friend's son-in-law. Lowe was killed when a bull he was riding bucked him off and stomped on his chest.

"Last night he passed away in Denver, tragically, from injuries sustained while riding a bull. He was ranked #18 in the world. And married to my sweet friend’s daughter. I love you all and am praying for you."

Lowe, 25, was from Missouri — the same state that Evans grew up in. He married Abbey Cooper in 2018.

 

The bull rider died due to injuries sustained at a completion at the National Western Stock Show in Colorado.

"We are deeply saddened to report that Mason Lowe passed away this evening following injuries sustained at the PBR event in Denver," PBR CEO Sean Gleason said in a statement. "The entire PBR and National Western sports family extends our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to Mason's wife Abbey and his family."

One spectator painfully recalled what occurred seconds after the tragedy:

"When he got up, he immediately grabbed his chest and stumbled over to the exit and then fell to the ground again grabbing his chest before he could get out of the area. They took him out on a stretcher."

The National Western Stock Show will run through Jan. 28. However, they did hold a fundraiser for the Lowe family on Wednesday (Jan. 16).

See More Pictures of Mason Lowe Doing What He Loved

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