Steve Wulf of ESPN is reporting that longtime ESPN anchor Stuart Scott has died. Scott, who battled cancer for many years, was a game changer in the field of sports broadcasting, bringing energy and catchphrases like “Boo Yah” to the broadcasting space. Scott, the proud father of two daughters, Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15, gave a rousing speech at the 2014 ESPY awards where he was the recipient of the Jimmy V Perseverance Award. Scott shared with the audience that he had had four surgeries in seven days in the week prior to his appearance at the ESPYs.
Scott’s words were inspirational, imparting wisdom to those fighting cancer or any other battle in life. He said:
“When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”
Scott was born in Chicago in 1965, but spent his formative years in North Carolina. Scott attended Richard J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem and then matriculated at the University of North Carolina, where he played wide receiver and defensive back on the club football team. He joined ESPN in 1993 and the rest is history. With his energetic and charismatic presentations, Scott became as famous as many of the athletes he covered. A pop cultural figure, Scott appeared in ten films and guest starred on numerous television shows.
Scott is survived by his two daughters, Taelor and Sydni; his parents, O. Ray and Jacqueline Scott; his three siblings Stephen Scott, Synthia Kearney, Susan Scott and their families; a host of relatives and his girlfriend Kristin Spodobalski. Scott was 49.
Read more at ESPN.
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