Most sports fans know the name of ESPN's Stuart Scott.
The legendary Scott worked the sidelines, then the anchor desk for over two decades at ESPN's SportsCenter and ushered in a new breed of sportscasters, one that used humor and his signature catchphrases, like "Booyah!" and "cool as the other side of the pillow" to make the audience love sports commentating as much as they loved sports.
But Scott's legacy doesn't end there. The on-air journalist, who sadly passed away this weekend at 49, had an even greater story to tell; his own. The father of two daughters was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. Upon being diagnosed, one of Scott's first actions was to team up with charities dedicated to fighting the disease aiming to take his life. The anchor raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for both the Livestrong Foundation and V Foundation — organizations whose goals are to raise awareness and further research for those with cancer. He participated in charities and tournaments geared towards the very disease he was fighting despite rigorous treatment programs and his full-time duties with ESPN.
Determined to fight his illness, Scott went through several rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries and suffered recurring bouts of the disease before it eventually took his life. Still, his spirit endures.
While friends, co-workers and even the President of the United States remember Scott as a man full of life and positivity, the world will remember him as a beacon of hope for anyone suffering from some form of cancer thanks to his famous ESPY's speech. The anchor received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance during last year’s awards program and in his speech, he detailed why it's how you fight, not whether you win or lose, that really matters:
"When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer," Scott said after receiving the honor. "You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live. So live. Live. Fight like hell.”
