ESPN anchor Stuart Scott died Sunday morning after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 49.
A memorable and original voice over the past two decades, Scott was known for his colorful catchphrases -- "Boo-Yah!" was a SportsCenter fixture -- while leaving a lasting impact on those he came into contact with.
"ESPN and everyone in the sports world have lost a true friend and a uniquely inspirational figure in Stuart Scott," said ESPN president John Skipper. "Who engages in mixed martial arts training in the midst of chemotherapy treatments? Who leaves a hospital procedure to return to the set?
"His energetic and unwavering devotion to his family and to his work while fighting the battle of his life left us in awe, and he leaves a void that can never be replaced."
NFL Network's Rich Eisen worked with Scott for years at ESPN.
"Stuart was one of the most joyful, full of life individuals I have come across," Eisen remembered Sunday. "He lived his life the way his parents wanted him to live it. ... He broadcast the same way. A groundbreaking broadcaster in the world of sports television."
Scott is survived by his two daughters, his parents, O. Ray and Jacqueline Scott; and his three siblings Stephen Scott, Synthia Kearney and Susan Scott.
"He didn't lose this battle to cancer," Eisen said on the air Sunday. "He fought it as bravely as he possibly could. And as you go to bed tonight, flip your pillow over to the cool side and before you got to sleep, as Stuart would say, you hit your knees tonight and pray to the big man for his beautiful daughters Taelor and Sydni. Pray for Stuart and his family, his parents, his siblings, his girlfriend, and his ex-wife. And that includes you, the sports fan."
President Obama, who Scott interviewed, released a statement on his passing:
"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 twenty 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. Over the years, he entertained us, and in the end, he inspired us -- with courage and love. Michelle and I offer our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and colleagues."
NFL Media sends our condolences to his family and friends.
