by MARIAH THOMPSON Section Editor
ESPN anchor Stuart Scott died at the age of 49 on Sunday, January 4, 2015 at a hospital in Avon, Connecticut.
Scott had a rare cancer called appendiceal cancer, which is extremely fatal. He was first diagnosed in 2007 after complaining of stomach pains.
After surgery to remove a part of his colon and some lymph nodes, the cancer had seemed to go away. However, it came back in 2011, and then again in 2013.
Throughout his fight, Scott underwent a great amount of Fluoroucil, a type of chemotherapy which is generally used to treat patients with his cancer.
An anonymous student said, “It is horrible that Stuart Scott was diagnosed with such a rare and fatal disease and it is even worse knowing he lost his fight. But, he gave one long, long fight.”
Many people, including multiple celebrities and athletes, were devastated by the news of his death.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant said, “The sports world lost a legend. He really changed the vernacular of sports and added a hip-hop culture to the sports game. He battled hard. You can’t say enough about what an inspiration he’s been.”
President Obama also released a statement about the popular anchorman’s death.
“I will miss Stuart Scott. Twenty years ago, Stu helped usher in a new way to talk about our favorite teams and the day’s best plays. For much of those 20 years, public service and campaigns have kept me from my family — but wherever I went, I could flip on the TV and Stu and his colleagues on ‘SportsCenter’ were there, ” Obama said.
Scott was best known for being an anchor for ESPN and ABC Sports. He first joined ESPN in 1993 and anchored for ESPN’s SportsCenter. Scott worked for 21 years for both networks, covering big events like the Super Bowl, the World Series, and the NBA Finals.
From 2007 to 2011, he hosted the weekly NBA studio show for ABC and ESPN, and hosted the NBA Finals Trophy presentation each year during that time.
Scott’s most recent job was reuniting with his partner Steve Levy on the telecast SportsCenter, which is where he first started his career.
During his career, Scott became known for his catchphrases, including “Booyah!” and “As cool as the other side of the pillow”.
Sophomore Tom Stolte said, “I am really going to miss watching him on television and listening to his commentary, especially when it included his famous sayings. His legacy will live on, though, that is for sure.”
Scott also received the Jimmy V Preserverance Award at the 2014 ESPY Awards.
“I’m not losing. I’m still here. I’m fighting. I’m not losing. But I’ve got to amend that. When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live,” Scott said in a speech while accepting his award.
ESPN also released a video about Scott’s life and the legacy he left behind.
Scott leaves behind two daughters – Taelor, age 19, and Sydni, age 15. He also leaves behind his parents, three siblings, and his girlfriend. All helped Scott through his journey with cancer, along with friends and colleagues.
What will you remember about the legend Stuart Scott?