Obama Issues Statement on Stuart Scott: ‘He Inspired Us’

President Barack Obama issued a statement on the passing of longtime ESPN anchor Stuart Scott, who died Sunday morning at the age of 49 after a long battle with cancer.

Obama, who was once interviewed by Scott, lauded him as an entertainer and an inspiration and offered condolences on behalf of he and Michelle.

Here’s the full statement:

“I will miss Stuart Scott. Twenty years ago, Stu helped usher in a new way to talk about our favorite teams and the day’s best plays. For much of those twenty years, public service and campaigns have kept me from my family – but wherever I went, I could flip on the TV and Stu and his colleagues on SportsCenter were there. Over the years, he entertained us, and in the end, he inspired us – with courage and love. Michelle and I offer our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and colleagues.”

“When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer,” Scott said while accepting the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at last summer’s ESPY Awards. “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”

Scott’s former colleague Rich Eisen delivered a heartfelt and powerful tribute this morning during an NFL pregame broadcast. You can watch that video here.

Watch ESPN’s tribute as well, below:

[Featured image via screengrab]

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