/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45149228/452250098.0.jpg)
Long-time ESPN personality Stuart Scott has lost his long battle with cancer today at the age of 49. Stuart's cancer was discovered when he needed an emergency appendectomy while covering the Pittsburgh Steelers vs Miami Dolphins Monday Night Football game for ESPN in 2007. A tumor was discovered during the surgery and he began cancer treatment. His cancer returned in 2011, and he began treatment again. Scott went into remission the following year, only to have it return in 2013.
"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."
A lot of people, including myself, have lost someone close to them to cancer, and it's a terrible disease. Stuart Scott was honored at the ESPY's last year with the Jimmy V Award and gave this memorable speech where he said, "When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live. So live, live. Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight, lay down, and rest, and let somebody else fight for you"
Long-time colleague and friend Rich Eisen talked about the loss of Stuart Scott today.
.@richeisen remembers friend & colleague Stuart Scott: http://t.co/j5CQbdkDCd
— NFL Media PR (@InsideNFLMedia) January 4, 2015
ESPN also ran this tribute to Scott today.
A beautiful tribute to Stuart Scott just aired on @SportsCenter - watch this. http://t.co/DYEPdGijVK
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) January 4, 2015
Several Redskins players expressed their condolences and memories of Scott on twitter today.
RIP Stuart Scott.
— Perry Riley (@PR56) January 4, 2015
He was as cool as the other side of the pillow & will be missed. Prayers up @StuartScott & family #RIPStuartScott pic.twitter.com/HXuf7qcbMy
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 4, 2015
This one hurt. Never felt more for a strangers death than this one. Sports Center will never be the same. #RIPStuartScott
— CB. (@DontThrowAt21_) January 4, 2015
Jut woke up to this terrible news RIP to Stuart Scott... Great analyst and Great role model
— Brian Orakpo (@rak98) January 4, 2015
Wow! R.I.P to one of the best announcers of all time. http://t.co/OWYWZhQWnp
— Lakendrick Ross (@lakendrick77) January 4, 2015