Not even cancer surgery can hold Dick Vitale back from doing what he loves, which is watching a good sporting event!
The iconic ESPN college basketball broadcaster was seen attending the matchup between the Yankees and the Rays on Tuesday night. The 85 year-old Vitale was spotted at the game with his grandchildren, and he was given a spotlight from YES Network.
Play-by-play man Michael Kay was quick to express his admiration for Vitale:
Vitale Fights Cancer
Vitale announced at the end of last month that he is battling cancer. He was diagnosed after having a biopsy done for a lymph node in his neck:
On July 2, Vitale revealed that the cancerous lymph nodes in his neck were successfully removed. The surgery reportedly went well, and Vitale thanked fans for their prayers.
Days later, he let fans know that doctors were recommending six weeks of radiation treatment after reviewing his pathology report.
This came after Vitale announced back in December that his vocal cord cancer was in remission. He had been battling this cancer for the previous five months.
This man can’t be kept down!
Vitale Battles Cancer Four Times
This latest battle is sadly the fourth time that Vitale has had to fight cancer since 2021. That year, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer was first diagnosed with melanoma. One year later, doctors diagnosed Vitale with a lymphoma.
In November of 2021, Vitale fought back tears as he returned to the announcer’s chair for the first time after his initial diagnosis.
“I can’t believe I’m sitting here,” an emotional Vitale said. “This is really a big thrill for me. I want to thank all who sent me so many great messages, [ESPN president] Jimmy Pitaro, all my buddies at ESPN. I want to thank certainly my family and all the fans. My, you have been unbelievable.”
Check out that emotional moment below.
Related: Olympic Figure Skater Scott Hamilton Reveals 3rd Brain Tumor Diagnosis, ‘Ignited My Faith’
Vitale was forced to miss the 2023-24 college basketball season because of his vocal cord cancer. As of last month, he was still optimistic that he would be able to get back in the booth this fall.
Vitale is a true legend at ESPN, as he has been with the network since its inception in 1979. Please join us in saying a prayer for him as he continues his cancer battle!
More about:MLB