What did Stuart Scott say about cancer? Rich Eisen pays tribute to the late ESPN host following his return

Late ESPN sportscaster and anchor Stuart Scott is currently trending after his former co-anchor Rich Eisen paid him tribute upon his return as the host of SportsCenter on ESPN on Monday night, after over 22 years.

“Should be in that chair, with me, with us, tonight,” Eisen stated after the tribute segment showed a recap of SportsCenter commercials featuring him and Scott and highlighting their friendship, camaraderie, and loyalty.

In 1996, Eisen and Scott began hosting the network’s syndicated program together until the former’s exit in 2003. Meanwhile, Stuart continued to work at ESPN.

In 2007, he was diagnosed with appendiceal/ stomach cancer and took a brief hiatus. Following his initial treatment, Stuart Scott returned to work. However, his cancer relapsed in 2011 and again in 2013.

During his July 2014 speech while accepting the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPY Awards, Scott shared that one can “beat” cancer by the way they live.

“When you die, that does not mean you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live,” he shared at the time.

Before that, he mentioned during one of his ESPN coverages for the NBA that cancer allowed him to:

meet “other people who’ve had to fight it,” comparing it to a “fraternity” or “sorority.”

Stuart Scott died on the morning of January 4, 2015, at his home in Avon, Connecticut, aged 49, after a seven-year battle with cancer.

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Exploring further Stuart Scott’s cancer journey

Stuart Scott was hospitalised in 2007 after severe stomach aches, and underwent an emergency appendectomy. His cancer reappeared in 2011 and later in 2013. At the time, Scott shared with Men’s Health Magazine:

"It recently came back a third time. To be honest, I'm scared. I've always been afraid of cancer, but this time feels different. My confidence is shaken. I'm a little more vulnerable, a little more aware of my mortality, a little more uncertain about my future."

During his July 2014 speech at the ESPY Awards, Stuart Scott remembered renowned college basketball coach and broadcaster Jim Valvano’s 1993 speech.

“I listened to what Jim Valvano said 21 years ago, the most poignant seven words ever uttered in any speech anywhere: ‘Don’t give up. Never give up.’ I’m not special; I just listen to what the man said. I listen to all that he said, everything that he asked of us,” Scott stated.

In his speech, the late ESPN anchor talked about seeking comfort and relying on others for help, including friends and family, be it asking them for a hug or crying over the phone.

“So live, live. Fight like hell,” Stuart mentioned.

He also gave a shoutout to his two daughters, Taelor and Sydni, calling them the “best” decision and “necessity” of his life.

At the time of his demise, ESPN released a statement calling Stuart Scott:

A “dedicated family man” and one of their “signature SportsCenter anchors,” adding that his cancer journey was both “inspiring” and “courageous.”

Likewise, Rich Eisen spoke fondly about his former colleague during his NFL Network segment.

“He battled cancer as bravely as anybody else, and I know there are many people out there who are battling cancer right now. Stuart would want you to know to keep fighting,” Eisen shared back then, while asking for privacy and prayers for Scott’s loved ones.

The then US President Barack Obama also paid his tribute alongside other celebrities from the sports world, including Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and Lance Armstrong.

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Stuart Scott worked for ESPN for 21 years. In the aftermath of his demise, the V Foundation for Cancer Research and ESPN founded a cancer research foundation in his honor called the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund.