Selfless Heart

Like most people in the world of sports, my heart is heavy from the loss of Stuart Scott

. Although I never knew him personally, he was a part of my day to day for the past 20 years for at least 30 minutes a day in the morning while watching Sportscenter. His presence on the show brought flavor to sports broadcasting that was a far cry from Greg and Bryant Gumble. He made me feel comfortable and proud to speak my mind in the vernacular that I chose. In retrospect, he made me feel that my choice of slang language didn’t take away from my intelligence or make my point of view any less valid than the next person.

            As I watched the tribute to Stuart Scott on ESPN 2 over and over again, I began to realize the impact he made on those in his inner circle, but also with those individuals who had never met him a day in their life such as myself. Through his passion for his profession and personable on air interviews he was able to become an icon in the world of sports. His stature grew due to his ability to get exclusive interviews with sports icons such as Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, which had a lot to do with his infectious charm and genuine personality.

            But what I take most from Stuart Scott’s life is that he focused on others even while he was battling for his life. His selfless approach to life is one to mimic and share with the youth of today. He understood that focusing on others would leave him no time to worry about himself and give him more pleasure and peace than covering the Super Bowl or NBA Finals. My prayers go out to all his family and friends in hopes that they find comfort soon from his passing, but also to all those still battling cancer and their support groups.

This article is in loving memory of Mother Desnoyer of Jackson, MI, who also went to be with the Lord this morning. 1-4-2015