Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome from 24, Kiefer Sutherland.
(Applause)
More than 21 years ago on March 4,1993 at the first annual ESPY awards, Jim
Valvano was awarded the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Jimmy V's expect
acceptance speech that night has now become legendary as a singularly moving
testament to the strength and beauty of the human spirit. Our world lost that
great man only two months later, but make no mistake, Jimmy V continues to inspire
countless others, even today. Through his generosity of spirit, he made us laugh
and cry and maybe, most importantly, think. That very same year in 1993 a talented
young journalist named Stuart Scott joined ESPN. Stuart would soon become one
of the most recognizable and beloved SportsCenter anchors ever and forever
changed the tone and language of sports broadcasting. But he didn't just add
phrases like booyah and cooler than the other side of the pillow to the lexicon.
He brought his wit, his attitude, and a lust for life all his own. In November
2007, sadly, Stuart was diagnosed with cancer.
True to his form, Stuart shared his experiences fighting this disease with
us, while managing to do extraordinary things in the face of seemingly
unsurmountable odds. Stuart's journey has been one full of great challenges,
but even greater, has been the love from his family. And like the great man this
award is named for, Stuart has never ever given up.
(Music)
Are you ready young man? Yeah. Really?
It's Wednesday in Baltimore, Maryland.
Doctor visits have become routine for Stuart Scott, but today is different.
Today, he finds out if he qualifies for an experimental treatment. A trial he's
already been rejected from twice before. But giving up has never been an option
for Stuart. Since he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2007, he has
refused to back down. First thought was I'm gonna die, and about probably five
seconds later, I'm gonna die and leave Taylor and Sid. I don't want them to be
without a dad. Cancer kills you. People die from cancer.
Stuart would not allow the disease to dictate how he lived, and for seven years
he's continued to battle. He's a fighter, and when I say he's a fighter he's
mentally, physically, emotionally he's a lot of things to fight for and he has a
lot of help in that fight. He's an inspiration to me. I have to feel as much
as I can like I don't have cancer, although I think about cancer 20 times a day. But
his true focus remains on the most important thing in his life, his family.
Oh! Woo hoo hoo! Way to go girl!
One thing that Stewart may never really understand, is the impact that he has had
on people all around the world. There are a lot of people that see him as a beacon
of light and something that they can relate to. I hear you're in the fight too.
Yeah? I'm seven years in. Are you? Yep. Wow. Do what you want to do, all right? Hang in
there brother. Thank you very much.
Are we gonna be on television? You might be. You ought to
tell me that. What's good SportsCenter Roland. Stuart Scott here. We got...
I think what he does is all the things that, as this close friend, I want to say stop
doing. Stop working out so hard, stop traveling so much, why are you doing so
many sports centers, but it's what keeps him going.
So Stuart pushes on. That is how he wins. I hear from people every day. He's on TV
and he's doing what he loves. They take strength from the fact that he
has not been paralyzed by his illness and that he's decided to live life on
his own terms. After being rushed to the hospital
during the NBA Finals a year ago, Stuart vowed to make it back here. Thank you
very much, and congratulations again to the now five-time champions San Antonio
Spurs. So this year on Father's Day, Game five
was about more than just a championship, it was about family. Instead of sending
you home tomorrow, I get to go home with you tomorrow.
Yay, Spurs. When people ask me are you worried, are you scared? I've never really
been really worried because he's always told me, he's always had the most
confidence ever, and he's always told me that he's gonna get through it and that
we're gonna get through it together. She knows what I'm going through and if I
can work hard, it's not just being the best, it's working hard it's her knowing
that I I'm working hard for this. I want her to take that with her.
Back at Johns Hopkins, Stuart finally receives word about the clinical trial.
Everything is a go. So here we go, clinical study. Thank you. You're welcome.
(Music)
Fighting is when, not quitting, not
saying oh I have cancer or I can't do anything. I'm just gonna lay down and cry
a pity party for myself. That to me is the only way you lose.
(Music)
I've been fighting it for seven years so that sucks, you've had to deal with it
for seven years. I've been fighting it for seven years, so that's good.
Seven years you've you battled it and if if losing the battle is passing away
then I guess I haven't lost the battle.
(Music)
(Applause)
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my profound honor to present the 2014 Jimmy V
perseverance award to Stuart Scott.
(Applause and cheering)
Thank you. You know tomorrow all my boys are gonna be like "oh man I saw you at
the ESPYs with Peyton Manning, Money Mayweather and KD" and I'm gonna be like "yeah
whatever". Jack Bauer saved the world and he
introduced me. 24 is my favorite TV show of all time so Kiefer Sutherland, thank
you very much, I am very honored. Every day I am reminded that our life's journey
is really about the people who touch us. When I first heard that I was gonna
be honored with this reward the very first thing that I did was- I was
speechless briefly. I've presented this award before. I mean I've watched in awe
as Kay Yow and Eric LeGrand and all these other great people graced this
stage. And although intellectually, I get it. I'm a public figure, I have a public
job, I'm battling cancer, hopefully I'm inspiring - at my gut level,
I really didn't think that I belong with those great people. But 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, don't ever give up". Those great people
didn't. Coach Valvano didn't. So, to be honoured with this, I now have a
responsibility to also not ever give up. I'm not special. I just listened to what
the man said. I listened to all that he said, everything that he asked of us. And
that's the build for the V foundation. And let me tell you, man, it works. I'm talking
tangible benefits. You saw me in that clinical trial. Now, here's the thing
about that. Coach Valvano's words 21 years ago helping me and thousands of
people like me, right now. Direct benefits. That's why all of this, why we're here
tonight, that's why it's so important. I also realized something else recently.
You heard me kinda allude to it in the piece.
I said "I'm not losing. I'm still here, I'm fighting. I'm not losing." But I've gotta
amend that. When you die, that 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.
(Applause)
So, live. Live. Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight then lay down
and rest and let somebody else fight for you. That's also very, very important. I
can't do this "don't give up" thing all by myself. I've got
thousands of people on Twitter and on the streets who encourage me.
I've got these amazingly wonderful people at ESPN. I've got corporate executives - my bosses,
this is true - who would text message me. They said "hey, I heard you had chemotherapy
today, you want me to stop by on the way home from work and pick you up something
to eat and bring it to you?" Seriously? Who does that? Whose boss does that? My bosses
do that. But even with all that the fight is still much more difficult than I even
realized. What you didn't see in the piece is what's gone on probably the
last ten days. I just got out of the hospital this past
Friday. Seven day stay. Man, I crashed. I had liver complications. I had kidney
failure. I had four surgeries in a span of seven days. I had tubes and wires
running in and out of every part of my body. Guys, when I say every part of my body: every part of
my body. As of Sunday, I didn't even know if I'd make it
here. I couldn't fight.
(Applause)
But doctors and nurses could. The people that I love and my friends and family - they
could fight. My girlfriend, who slept on a very uncomfortable hospital cot by my
side every night, she could fight. The people that I love did last week what
they always do. They visited, they talked to me, they listened to me,
they sat silent sometimes, they loved me. And that's another one of the components
of the V Foundation. This whole fight, this journey thing, is not a solo venture.
This is something that requires support. I called my big sister Susan a few days
ago. Why? I needed to cry. It was that simple. And
I know that I can call her, I can call my other sister Synthia, my brother
Stephen, my mom and dad, and I can just cry. And those things are very important.
I have one more necessity. Eh, it's really two. Two very vibrant, intelligent, beautiful
young ladies. The best thing I have ever done, the best thing I will ever do, is be a
dad to Taelor and Sydni. It's true.
(Applause)
I can't ever give up because I can't leave my daughters. Yes, sometimes I
embarrass them. Sometimes, they think I'm a tyrant. That's a direct quote. There is
an adjective that describes tyrant too, but I'm not gonna go there. But 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.
(Applause)
My oldest daughter, Taelor, I wanted her to be here, but college sophomore, summer school,
second semester's starting this week. Baby girl, I love you, but you go do you.
You go do that. My littlest angel is here. My fourteen year old.
Sydni, come up here and give dad a hug, because I need one.
I want to say thank you ESPN, thank you ESPYs, thank all of you. Have a great rest
of your night and have a great rest of your life.
(Applause)
(Music)