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Gutierrez says the announcement isn't his big "coming out," adding that he has been out to friends and family for more than six years, but rather he is getting married on Sept. 12 and didn't want to deal with having to retell his story over and over again when someone noticed his ring.

"As far back as I can remember, I've always enjoyed sports, enjoyed competition," the Florida-born sports reporter and analyst continued. "But there was always, especially in my teenage years, a confidence barrier I could never break through. I couldn't really explain it then. I mean, I probably knew deep down that it was because I was gay, and for some reason that made me feel I wasn't on the same playing field, almost literally, as straight men. But I was already in deep denial about my sexuality, so acknowledging that would've probably broken me back then."

Gutierrez recalled that in his early teens, until somewhere in his late 20s, he would blow out his birthday candles and make the same wish: "'Please don't let me be gay.'

"Every time I prayed, I made sure to ask God to help me through this. To help reveal my true self."

Gutierrez said it wasn't until 2010, a year after he met his now fiancé, David Kitchen, that his life began to change.