ESPYs: Stuart Scott Honored With Jimmy V Award

Stuart Scott

ESPN anchor Stuart Scott was honored at Wednesday night's ESPY Awards with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award for his ongoing battle with cancer since 2007.

Kiefer Sutherland presented the award to the Sportscenter personality, who is known for injecting excitement and his "booyah" catchphrase, as he lightheartedly noted that 24 is his favorite show: "Jack Bauer saved the world and he introduced me!" he laughed to a standing ovation.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Scott invoked the award's namesake, Jim Valvano, the former North Carolina State University basketball coach who died of bone cancer in 1993. His legendary speech at the first-ever ESPYs announced the creation of The V Foundation for Cancer Research and its motto: "Don't give up … don't ever give up."

"To be honored with this," he said, "I know I have a responsibility to never give up. I'm not special; I just listened to what the man said."

Scott offered plenty of inspiration of his own, crediting the people around him and even his bosses for fighting on his behalf when he no longer had it in him. "I just got out of the hospital; I had four surgeries in the span of seven days," he revealed, silencing the Nokia Theatre audience.

Before beginning his speech, a video documenting Scott's treatments and road back to work showed the lively anchor in a doctor's room, drained, struggling to smile for the camera. "I'm not losing. I'm still here fighting," he managed to tell the camera.


"I've got to amend that," Scott said onstage, clutching the award. "When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, while you live and the manner in which you live," which triggered a roaring applause.