Thank you, Stuart

  • BY Lisa Byington
  • 1.05.15

I never met Stuart Scott.

But he made me feel like I knew him.

And that was his gift.

He had the courage to take chances on the air, to be himself, even when some thought it was too much.

He. Never. Gave. In.

In anything.

His job. Fatherhood. His fight against cancer.

What was he?

He was a sports broadcaster who was entertaining. He was a guy who came up with cool catchphrases, to entertain us at 11 PM on a Sunday night.

Did he change the world with his job? Of course not.

But he did make people notice.

We watched, as he did something he loved.

We tuned in, when he did things the only way he knew how — his way.

Stu style.

As a broadcaster, I can appreciate how hard that is to do.

As a person, I can too.

And because of that, NFL and NBA games sat in a moment of silence. The biggest names in sports wanted to talk about HIM. His colleagues and bosses honored him for a full day on the air. The President of the United States made a statement.

It was a reminder to me, at least, to find that “place” that allows us all to shine. That stretches us to the point to be you, to be me, to be our best.

I cried several times today, over a person I never met.

But I also cried today for someone I knew.

We all did.

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

about the author

Lisa Byington has worked for BTN, FOX, CBS, Turner, and ESPN. She earned her BSJ and MSJ from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She also played four years of basketball and two years of soccer for the Wildcats.