ESPN anchor Stuart Scott dies at age of 49

Widely recognized for his unique style, EPSN SportsCenter anchor, Stuart Scott passed away on Sunday, January 4th after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by two daughters.

Scott became a pop culture icon with his use of clever catch phrases such as “Booyah!” and “Cool as the other side of the pillow.” He was lampooned on “Saturday Night Live” and appeared in music videos with rappers such as LL Cool J.

Scott was originally diagnosed with appendiceal cancer in 2007 for which he was successfully treated. The cancer returned in 2011 and again went into remission. He was once again diagnosed in 2013. He was honored at the 2014 ESPY awards for his perseverance in battling the disease. His death was met with an outpouring of tributes from across the sports, broadcasting, and entertainment world.

“He didn’t just push the envelope,” says sports radio host and former ESPN anchor Dan Patrick. “He bulldozed the envelope.”

Scott was remembered through an outpouring of tributes by athletes, colleagues and fans on Twitter and statements from his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, which said that “his legacy will live on in many ways — as a friend, a son, a father, a professional and forever, a Tar Heel,” and President Barack Obama.

“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,” the president said.

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