Stuart Scott

Why we remember

We are dying, you and I.

From the moment we draw our first breath, every living creature on this earth begins to die.

We resist that fact. We deny it as long as we can, in spite of failing hearts and damaged lungs and cancerous brains, in the face of overwhelming odds and heartbreaking diagnoses.

We can’t seem to ponder long the fact of our own non-existence. Those that try are labelled depressives, morbid, and chided to change the subject, to stop bringing everyone down.

Yet the truth is unavoidable: None of us will escape alive.

And before we go, we will lose so many we love so much: parents, children, friends, pets.

The grief will overwhelm us, bring us to our knees, and still we will awaken tomorrow, and go on as we always have.

As we always do.

~

Stuart Scott died early Sunday morning. He was 49 years old.

Stuart Scott’s Legacy

Stuart Scott did not imitate. He did originate. He was unique. He was unlike anyone we had ever seen on TV.

He was courageous enough to be himself, always.

And that is the very reason we will miss him — because there is no way to replace his voice, his personality, his character.

In that ESPN tribute above, Dan Patrick says of Stu, “He wanted to change the business. And he did.

Someone is listening to your voice right now — today — dreaming of what they may become, because of you and all the things that make you unique.

If today is your last chance to do what you do, to say what you can say — and I hope it’s not — how will you be remembered?

~

There’s another part to this legacy, the off-air part, the part where we, as human beings, interact with those around us.

We are so much more than just what we do on the air. We are so much bigger than our ratings or our paychecks or our public/industry image.

When your day comes, what will those that knew you best say about you?

How about those who could not help your career in any way, from reception to cleaning crews? What would they say?

What will you do today that will be missed?

I want you to do more than change our business. I want you to change lives, beginning with your own.

Because you can. We can.

Don’t waste even one day. Make a difference.

Time is short. Make yours count.