Tweet of the Night: Stuart Scott’s Unforgettable Speech

Some things are bigger than sports.

The 2014 ESPYs were held live at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday, July 16. Recording artist Drake hosted the annual award show, which pays homage to the greatest sports moments and performances of the year.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder won Best Male Athlete and Comeback Athlete of the Year to represent the NBA. Kawhi Leonard was honored for the Best Championship Performance and Gregg Popovich won the Best Coach/Manager award to represent the San Antonio Spurs.

Doug McDermott of Chicago Bulls and Creighton Bluejays fame won Best Male College Athlete, while Breanna Stewart of the Connecticut Huskies won Best Female College Athletes.

For as magnificent as these competitors were and continue to be, no one’s feat of athletic greatness compares to the heart, power and conviction displayed by Stuart Scott.

ICYMI: Here’s @StuartScott inspirational speech on accepting the Jimmy V Perseverance Award. » http://t.co/cuddljqDAb pic.twitter.com/3NsOZux1gQ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 17, 2014

An awe-inspiring speech by a man who continues to battle one of the world’s worst evils.

Scott was honored with the 2014 Jimmy V. Perseverance Award. The hardware is in honor of the late Jim Valvano, who passed away in 1993 after a 10-month fight with cancer.

The award couldn’t have gone to a better recipient.

For those unfamiliar, Scott is an anchor for ESPN’s signature show SportsCenter. He’s been a member of the ESPN Family since 1993, when he became the host of ESPN2’s now defunct SportsNight.

Most significantly, Scott is a cancer survivor.

He was first diagnosed with cancer in 2007, ultimately defeating it. He again battled the disease in 2011, but forced it into remission in 2012.

Tragically, Scott was diagnosed with cancer for a third time on January 14, 2013. In his ESPYs speech, Scott revealed that he received four surgeries in seven days in the week prior to the award show.

As his fight goes on, so too does that of a world which has lost too many to this unnecessary evil. Rather than worrying about statistics or legacies, the sports community had a chance to come together and put all team allegiances aside.

As a united nation, there wasn’t a moment of ambiguity. We all want cancer erased from the planet.

As someone who has seen multiple family members battle this vicious disease, watching Scott stand with such confidence was beyond inspiring. He’s a testament to the value of hard work, perseverance and belief.

Rather than giving in to a disease that keeps testing him, Scott is fighting harder with each passing day. While it may not be his intention, he’s becoming more-and-more of an inspirational figure.

Keep fighting, Stuart Scott. The world will continue to fight with you.