Families for hundreds of years have searched for entertainment. Sports has been in history since the first time a caveman threw a rock farther than the next guy. In the sports world today we gather our families around a TV and let the memories begin.

Sports must have had a lot of lag time between plays and innings and quarters, so that’s how they figured out that we needed sports announcers and commentators. With these commentators came a new fun perspective of sports. It gave people at home a personal connection with the game. From this personal connection, sports icons and heroes evolved.

On Jan. 4, the sports world and the world of journalism lost one of these icons, someone who changed not just our view of sports but of a culture. Stuart Scott was one of the most influential African American journalists in the sports industry. He introduced Black culture into ESPN’s broadcasts in a time when that just wasn’t done. But he did it.

He worked for ESPN for over two decades. His immediate impact brought attention to ESPN, and Scott used the attention to secure his job. It didn’t take long for audiences and athletes to get used to Scott’s unique style of catchphrases and witty statements.

In 2007, Scott had appendicitis which led to his diagnosis of colon rectal cancer. Cancer of the appendix was so rare that doctors didn’t have the statistics of survival rates.

Scott fought the cancer’s comeback three times, but never saw it as a battle. In his mind, he had won, continuing to live his life for his children and his career. Scott didn’t want cancer to control and change his life. He continued to work out to keep the energy that chemotherapy drained from him.

In July, Scott was awarded the Jimmy V Award of Perseverance at the ESPY’s. He could barely walk to the stage to receive it, but that did not phase him.

“When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer,” Scott said in his acceptance speech. “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”

Scott gave inspiration and hope to many people; he gave them the will to move on with their struggles much like the namesake of the award he won.

Jim Valvano was the head basketball coach for North Carolina State University. Valvano became famous for coaching his team to the national championship in 1983 against all odds. He fought metabolic cancer, dying 10 years after that national championship.

Even though Valvano battled terminal cancer for years, he never gave up. Valvano showed the world that it doesn’t matter how terrible the conditions or circumstances are, you can always succeed in what you believe.

After his success as a basketball coach, Valvano signed with ESPN as a commentator and started the V foundation for cancer research. He died shortly after.

He too gave a moving speech at the ESPY’s in March 1993 where he told the audience, “…never give up…don’t ever give up.”

The death of Stuart Scott may have ended his life on earth, but with it came a new beginning– time for us to search for our meaning in life. Just ask yourself if you are truly living.

Icons like Scott and Valvano remind us that no matter how we are challenged, we can continued to live our lives with purpose. They knew that their lives would slowly disappear into memories, but they continued to live with passion and purpose. They were true sports heroes.