Lauren Hill and Stuart Scott remembered at 2015 ESPY Awards | - Zap2It

The ESPY Awards honorthe best in sports throughout the year, but the 2015 ceremony hit a somber moment when remembering deceased athlete Lauren Hill and sportscaster Stuart Scott.

Hill was on her way to greatness with a collegiate basketball scholarship when she got the news that she had an inoperable brain tumor that left her with a maximum of two years left to live. Instead of giving up on her dream of playing NCAA basketball, Lauren still got to see her shoes step out on the hardwood floor for her first collegiate game. Her courage earned her the ESPY for Best Moment Award, which her parents accepted at the ceremony.

Its amazing how powerful just one moment can be. In Laurens case, I think she reminded us that we are vulnerable to being dealt a bad hand, but Lauren also showed us through heart, determination, courage, strength and faith that no matter what it is possible to achieve your dreams, says Laurens mom Lisa Hill.

Hill went on to encourage the audience to live for the moment, which became Laurens life mantra.

RELATED: Ronda Rousey blasts Floyd Mayweathers domestic violence history at ESPY Awards

All we have is now and I encourage you tospend every moment making it as memorable as you can. Nothing would be better to tribute to Lauren and her spirit, a spirit I hope you never ever forget. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and never give up, she says.

Hills somber speech was compounded by the ESPYS remembering another valued member of the sports community. Good Morning America host Robin Roberts came on stage to remember ESPN commentator Stuart Scott who passed away in January, also due to cancer.

A year ago tonight, someone else came up on this stage and reminded us of his own unbreakable spirit. Its been six months since my friend, our friend, Stuart Scott passed away but his message endures, Roberts says. Stu told us that cancer was not just about living and fighting but also making sure that others were there to fight for you, especially when youre tired.

Roberts speech was followed by the 2015 ESPY In Memoriam, which remembered Hill, Scott and the other members of the sports community that have passed away in the past year.

Source: http://zap2it.com/2015/07/lauren-hill-stuart-scott-remembered-espy-2015-awards/

Continue Reading ..

Stuart Scott, Longtime ESPN Anchor, Dies At 49

Stuart Scott, one of the most recognizable anchors in 'Sportscenter' history, died of cancer at the age of 49, according to an ESPN press release. 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 in the statement.

Scott, who had two daughters, was known for his boisterous, high-energy delivery and catchphrases like "booyah!" and "cool as the other side of the pillow." He had been public about his long fight with the disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2007. He remained highly active throughout his treatment, using mixed martial arts training to counteract the effects of chemotherapy.

After news of Scott's death broke, ESPN ran a 15-minute tribute to him. Watch below:

MORE FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS:

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) Stuart Scott, the longtime "SportsCenter" anchor and ESPN personality known for his enthusiasm and ubiquity, died Sunday. He was 49.

Scott had fought cancer since a diagnosis in late 2007, the network said, but remained dedicated to his craft even as he underwent chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

ESPN President John Skipper said in a statement that Scott was "a true friend and a uniquely inspirational figure" and that 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."

Scott accepted the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYs in July. During his speech, he told his teenage daughters: "Taelor and Sydni, I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express. You two are my heartbeat. I am standing on this stage here tonight because of you."

Born in Chicago, Scott attended high school in North Carolina. After graduating from the University of North Carolina in 1987, Scott worked at three TV stations in the southern U.S. before joining ESPN for the 1993 launch of its ESPN2 network. He often anchored the 11 p.m. "SportsCenter," where he would punctuate emphatic highlights with "Boo-ya!" or note a slick move as being "as cool as the other side of the pillow."

Scott went on to cover countless major events for the network, including the Super Bowl, NBA finals, World Series and NCAA Tournament. He also interviewed President Barack Obama, joining him for a televised game of one-on-one. In 2001, Scott returned to Chapel Hill as the university's commencement speaker.

Scott was first diagnosed with cancer in November 2007 after he had to leave the "Monday Night Football" game between Miami and Pittsburgh to have his appendix removed. Doctors discovered a tumor during surgery. He underwent chemotherapy again in 2011.

Scott made a point of continuing to live his life at work and outside of it.

"Who engages in mixed martial arts training in the midst of chemotherapy treatments?" Skipper said in ESPN's statement. "Who leaves a hospital procedure to return to the set?"

Scott is survived by his parents, O. Ray and Jacqueline Scott; siblings Stephen Scott, Synthia Kearney and Susan Scott; his daughters Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15; and girlfriend Kristin Spodobalski.

As he accepted the award named for former N.C. State coach Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in 1993, Scott noted: "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. "So live. Live. Fight like h**l."

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/04/stuart-scott-dead-dies_n_6412778.html

Continue Reading ..