Stuart Scott was born to O. Ray Scott and Jacqueline Scott. He grew up with his three siblings in Illinois, Chicago, and North Carolina.
Stuart Orlando Scott was an American sportscaster and anchor on ESPN, including on SportsCenter. He was known for his hip-hop style and use of catchphrases in his commentary.
The exponential sportscaster passed away on January 4, 2015, at 49. His ninth anniversary of death was marked on January 4, 2024.
Netizens and Scott’s fans remembered him for his contribution to sports broadcasting.
Highlights
- Stuart Scott was the youngest child of Orville Ray Scott and Jacqueline Scott. He had three siblings, brother Stephen and sisters Synthia and Susan Scott.
- Stuart passed away on January 4, 2015, at 49, following a long battle with appendix cancer.
- Scott’s father, Orville, passed away in July 2018 at 81 following his long-term suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Stuart Scott was battling with cancer for more than seven years before his demise. He was diagnosed with appendix cancer.
In 2007, the sportscaster experienced stomach ache, and when the condition worsened, he was rushed to the hospital and underwent an emergency appendectomy.
During the procedure, doctors discovered that his appendix was cancerous. He dealt with his illness with courage, inspiring others.
His speech on the 2014 ESPY Awards receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance is remarkable and inspiring to others, the former ESPN broadcaster stated,
When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live
Stuart Scott
Stuart Scott Was His Father, Orville Ray Scott, And Mother Jacqueline Scott’s Youngest Child
Stuart Scott was born in Chicago on July 19, 1965, as the youngest child of his father, Orville Ray Scott, and his mother, Jacqueline Scott.
He mainly resided in the back of London Towne House on Chiago’s Southeast side throughout his early childhood.
However, when Scott was 7, his family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the former sports broadcaster spent the rest of his teenage years there.
Stuart Scott was African-American. A couple of weeks after the Scott family moved to North Carolina, the city started a school busing program.
These programs included transportation for students to schools outside of their local school districts to address racial segregation.
Because of it, Stuart Scott was called racist names in his school. However, he said he never felt much insecurity, thanks to his parents, Jacqueline and O. Ray.
Mother Jacqueline Scott was an educator, so she ensured all of her children had to have proper diction.
Moreover, Scott often mentioned that he was raised to thrive in a world he didn’t belong to.
Despite the challenges of being African-American, Stuart Scott established his name as one of the most accomplished sportscasters, although he is not a former player.
Stuart Scott’s parents, O. Ray and Jacqueline Scott, had to face the untimely demise of their youngest child. The ESPN broadcaster was survived by his parents, three older siblings, and two daughters.
O. Ray Scott passed away in July 2018 at the age of 81 following Parkinson’s disease.
Stuart Scott Had Three Elder Siblings: Brother Stephen, Sisters Susan, And Synthia Scott
Stuart Scott was the lovable youngest of his three siblings: Brother Stephen, sisters Susan and Synthia Scott.
Scott’s brother works at Egnyte, a software company. He is married to Amy Hewett Dott and is the father of two daughters.
Regarding his younger brother’s illness, Stephen Scott has said,
Cancer wasn’t who he was. It was just something that he had. His thinking was, Cancer is going to have to work around what I do. I’m not going to make what I do work around cancer.
Stephen Scott
Furthermore, Stuart Scott’s elder sister, Synthia Scott Kearney, has worked at the City of Gastonia Fire Department and Little Theater of Gastonia. She studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Talking about Stuart Scott’s childhood talking habits, Synthia once said,
My mother at one point took him to a speech therapist. The lady came back and told her, “I can’t really help you with him right now. He sees this problem of people not understanding him as the listener’s problem. It’s not his problem.”
Synthia Scott.
Stuart Scott was closest to his elder sister, Susan Scott, among his family members. She often posts about the Stuart Scott Foundation and Charity on social media.
In one interview, Susan remembered her relationship with Stuart as the closest one. She said,
When I was about five, Stuart came along. He was my person. I could tell him things I never told another living soul.
Susan Scott
Moreover, Susan is the eldest sister among the Scott siblings, and Synthia is two and a half years younger than her.
Similarly, brother Stephen is one and a half and four years younger than Synthia and Susan, respectively, and Stuart Scott is the youngest.
Additional Information
- Stuart Scott was married to Kimberly Scott from 1993 to 2007. He had two daughters, Taelor and Sydni Scott.
- At his demise, Stuart was in a relationship with Kristin Spodobalski.
- In high school, Scott was captain of his football team and ran track, and at the University of North Carolina, he played wide receiver and defensive back on the football team.
