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Stuart Scott has been one of ESPN’s more recognizable anchors since he joined the organization in 1993. He is most well-known for covering the NFL and NBA, and his repertoire of sayings such as: “as cool as the other side of the pillow” and “BOOYAH!”
On January 4, 2015, Scott lost his latest battle with cancer.
Taelor and Sydni Scott, ages 19 and 15 respectively, are the two daughters of Scott and his ex-wife Kimberly. Through his battle with cancer, Scott has continued to inspire those around him –- including a pre-game tribute before a December 8 Monday Night Football game between the Falcons and the Packers –- and he gets that energy and drive to continue to do so directly from his daughters.
Here is what you need to know:
1. Both Girls Have Strong Relationships With Their Dad
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According to court documents, Stuart Scott and his ex-wife Kimberly married in 1993 and then divorced in 2007. The court documents for the couple’s split can be found here (FindLaw is a great, free source to find well-documented court cases). Also contained in the documents, Kimberly and Stuart agreed to shared-custody for each of their daughters.
Scott has maintained that he wants to continue to be an integral part in his daughters’ lives. They each continue to live in Avon, Connecticut.
2. Taelor Is Doing Her Thing Away at School
Taelor is currently a sophomore in college. Scott won the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the 2014 ESPY’s in July, and during his speech, he specifically referenced how his eldest daughter wasn’t in attendance because of summer school and preparing for her second semester — being busy doing much more important things for herself and her future.
He spoke directly to Taelor by saying: “Baby girl, I love you, but you do you.”
3. Sydni Is in High School and Not Far Behind
In addition to being a soloist in her school choir, Sydni is also an incredibly talented soccer player. She and her teammates recently won a U14 state title.
In September, Scott took to Twitter to share a four-part tweet sequence about how he was able to watch his daughter’s soccer game from his hospital bed:
The series of tweets and Scott’s decision to share them were regarded as uplifting, and put a positive spin on otherwise dreadful circumstances.
4. They’re the Inspiration for Their Father’s Uplifting Outlook
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Although already mentioned, it bears repeating again. Scott dedicated a significant portion of his acceptance speech to talking about the impact that his daughters have had on his life.
He said it best when spoke about how living your life is the true definition of beating cancer. While continuing to fight, he refers to them as his “heartbeat.” When they first learned about the diagnosis, they asked a lot of questions, including if it would kill him.
“I said: ‘It could, and that’s why we’re doing everything we can. That’s why I’m taking every medicine I can and that’s why I keep working out so we can keep traveling the way we do and so I can act silly and goofy and keep embarrassing you.’ “
With his situation comes rumors, especially false rumors such as the Hospice rumors in November that he shot down.
5. Despite Their Famous Dad, They’re Still Normal Teenagers
According to the court documents:
These children have always enjoyed an affluent and privileged lifestyle. They have met the President of the United States, regularly attend sports events like the London Olympics and the NBA Championship, are invited to balls, cotillions, movie premieres and other such “red carpet” events. The testimony described Sydney as a typical teenager: active, athletic, indulged, creative, artsy, gifted and confident. The court previously made similar findings about Taelor.
While not all children from divorced families tend to grow up with lifestyles shared by Taelor and Sydni, this is probably due to the fact that Scott can afford to take care of his daughters due to his job and salary –- this is a sentiment that all fathers and potential fathers share –- and doesn’t mind giving them everything he has.
Some children grow up rich, but don’t necessarily experience a truly enriching lifestyle, while others, which is obviously the case here, can look beyond what’s visible and remain grounded.
Also in his ESPY’s speech, Scott jokingly mentions that one of his daughters referred to him directly as a “tyrant.” Who said raising a teenage daughter… let alone two, was easy?
