ESPN announcer Dick Vitale got emotional as he reflected on his cancer battle while calling the Duke-Louisville ACC championship game on Saturday night.
Since being treated for melanoma in 2021, Vitale, 85, has been diagnosed with and treated for lymphoma, pre-cancerous dysplasia, ulcerous lesions, a lymph node on his neck and cancer that was discovered on his vocal cords. He posted recently that he underwent five major surgeries on his vocal cords, 65 radiation treatments and six months of chemotherapy.
After being declared cancer-free, returned to the booth on Feb. 8 for the first time in nearly two years.
The Hall of Famer, though, said Saturday this was his last broadcast this season but he hopes to return next season.
‘It’s a miracle, really, to sit here with you guys,’ he said of Dave O’Brien and Cory Alexander. ‘I can’t tell you how much it meant to me. It’s been unbelievable.
‘It’s been tough for years. Those four cancer battles, I don’t wish on anybody. Cancer sucks, I’ll tell you this, anybody battling cancer, please listen, ‘Think positively, always, and have faith and believe.’ And if there’s a person who knows someone with cancer, send them a text message. Make a phone call. The bottom line, it means so much.
‘I know it meant a lot to me in my darkest moment when I was in the hospital doing chemo and I had a bad, bad day. Man, it was a tough, tough time, and I had to stay overnight. My family left and I ended up crying like crazy and the nurse came in and she cheered me up. And I went to my phone and on my phone were messages from all over the country.’
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