Sydni Scott, daughter of Stuart Scott, reflects on father's 2014 ESPY's speech

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Monday, June 22, 2020
Syndi Scott, daughter of Stuart Scott, reflects on father's 2014 ESPY's speech
Ravaged by cancer, sports broadcasting pioneer Stuart Scott delivered a powerful speech while accepting the Jimmy V award for perseverance during the ESPYs.

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Stuart Scott's speech in 2014 will go down in ESPY's lore as one of the most impactful in the history of the sports award show. On this Father's Day, his daughter Sydni Scott is reflecting on her dad and a racial gap his legacy is trying to fill.

Ravaged by cancer, sports broadcasting pioneer Stuart Scott delivered a powerful speech while accepting the Jimmy V award for perseverance during the ESPYs.

'When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and in the manner in which you live," Stuart said in 2014.

His daughter Sydni was only 14 at the time.

"I think there is something so unique and powerful about literally just the sound and tenor of his voice that is so recognizable that there's something about his voice that just catches me."

Now a 20-year-old college student and track and field athlete at Columbia, Sydni is championing his message. Her dad's memorial fund through the V Foundation supports minority researchers.

"Obviously cancer has touched millions of lives and it is this grounding factor. Within that there are still inequalities there is still systematic racism that impacts even something we view as this equalizing sort of tragedy."

On Stuart's behalf, pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb recently pledged $1 million to the fund which now has already awarded over $10 million to research. Supporting minorities in similar ways can help bridge a vast economic gap.

"Despite the millions of dollars that have been raised for cancer research, there are still such stark disparities between communities of color and white communities when it comes to the outcomes of cancer and the development of cancer and all of the both cultural and scientific medical components that factor in."

Sydni doesn't watch the speech very often choosing instead to replay the personal voice messages dad left just for her even if the message was about cleaning her room or doing homework.

"As incredible as the words he delivered to the world were and as much as I draw from that I think that there is something special hearing his voice in a way that - even though he was a little frustrated with me, it was still something that was meant for just me."

Sydni told ABC11 when it comes to drawing strength from her dad she needs it to come from personal places.