A year after the death of ESPN legend Stuart Scott, his daughters have reflected on the longtime sports anchor in a touching letter.
"You lived your life with a fierce sense of authenticity, passion and competitiveness, giving it your all and reaching for the best in everything you did," his daughters Taelor and Sydni Scott wrote on Dear World. "When you were diagnosed with cancer, you showed the world how to fight with that same fierce passion, instilling a sense of hope and inspiration to so many."
Stuart Scott was diagnosed with a rare form of appendix cancer in 2007. He died at age 49 on Jan. 4, 2015.
Scott was a 1988 graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He started working for ESPN in 1993.
He was awarded the Jim Valvano Award for Perseverance at the 2014 Espys.
The ESPN anchor often cited his two daughters, Taelor and Sydni, as a big source of his motivation to keep fighting cancer.
"From you Dad, we've learned to reach for the fight we possess inside and apply it with passion to our lives," they wrote.
Read the full letter below.
"Dear Dad,
Growing up we thought all Dads worked “inside the television.” This last year, we realized the full impact you’ve had on the world, and how important you were to so many. A whirlwind year of appearances and accepting awards on your behalf, Lifetime Achievement Awards, Hall of Fame Inductions, your book launch and even a visit to the White House — has given us great insight into the mark you left during your lifetime. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to meet many people whom you profoundly impacted, share our grief and our memories while giving back on your behalf and continuing the legacy you started in raising cancer awareness.
You lived your life with a fierce sense of authenticity, passion and competitiveness, giving it your all and reaching for the best in everything you did. When you were diagnosed with cancer, you showed the world how to fight with that same fierce passion, instilling a sense of hope and inspiration to so many. And in the end you taught us all how to win – live or die – by how you live, why you live and the manner in which you live.
From you Dad, we’ve learned to reach for the fight we possess inside and apply it with passion to our lives. It was through your vulnerability, that you taught us the real value of strength in never giving up.
Love, Tae & Syd
(Your heartbeats)"
