Longtime beloved ESPN anchor Stuart Scott succumbed on Sunday to his third bout with cancer, breaking the sports world’s collective heart.
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Scott, 49, was one of the most recognized and well-liked faces of ESPN — GQ magazine once famously dubbed him the man who put hip-hop in sportscasting for his fresh, offbeat style rife with pop culture references and trademark catchphrases like “cool as the other side of the pillow.”
First diagnosed with cancer in 2007, Scott never let the diagnoses keep him down. Rather, he fought back by adopting a relentlessly positive attitude and a rigorous regimen of martial arts.
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His death resonated strongly with iconic players in the sports world, with avid fans and with the American public who’d found courage in Scott’s tenacious spirit. Even President Obama was personally impacted by the news, issuing his condolences for the man who “helped usher in a new way to talk about our favorite teams and the day’s best plays.”
But, as we grieve, we also remember the legacy Scott leaves behind is a life well lived. We honor the broadcasting great by celebrating 10 of his most poignant quotes.
1. “Every day, I am reminded that our life’s journey is really about the people who touch us.”
2. “When you die, it does not mean you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and in the manner in which you live.”
3. “So live. Live! Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight, then lay down and rest and let somebody else fight for you.”
4. “The best thing I’ve ever done — the best thing I will ever do — is be a dad to Taelor and Sydni. I can’t ever give up, because I can’t leave my daughters.”
5. “I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express. You are my heartbeat.”
6. “It feels good to be winded, having trouble breathing, chest hurts [during a workout]… I’m alive.”
7. “I never ask what stage I’m in. I haven’t wanted to know. It won’t change anything to me. All I know is that it would cause more worry and a higher degree of freakout. Stage 1, 2 or 8, it doesn’t matter. I’m trying to fight it the best I can.”
8. “The most important thing I do is I’m a dad.”
9. “Every day, I fight.”
10. “Boo-yah!”
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