Veteran college basketball announcer Dick Vitale has been battling cancer all his life. Melanoma, lymphoma, and vocal cord cancer followed one another. It’s as if life had really thrown a curveball at him. After multiple radiation sessions and surgeries, Vitale has now found a breakthrough in life, which he shared with his followers via his X handle.

“Now I am to get great news on my upcoming scans – and the full body PET SCAN that I remain cancer free -planning on adding many more “FANTASTIC MEMORIES” to my resume – it’s been a fabulous journey that I have had & don’t LAUGH – but I plan on waking into an arena for THE DICK VITALE INVITATIONAL on @espn at 100 & sit next to DAVE O’BRIEN & be the 1st announcer at 100 to call a game,” said Vitale as he shared with the world how he has successfully defeated cancer.

Six months of chemotherapy and five major surgeries, the 86-year-old has seen a fair share of adversity in his life, and the fact that he could beat not just one but three just shows how much of a fighter he truly is.

The ESPN Hall of Famer had to endure six full months of chemotherapy, which was rough. Vitale was left asking himself the question of whether he would make it out of it, and this comes from his own confession.

“There were times I didn’t know if I’d wake up the next morning. Remember that night in the hospital, my family left, and I cried, thinking I’d never see them again. A nurse came in and said, ‘Dick, what’s wrong? Why are you so upset? You’re going to beat this. You’re a fighter.’ She gave me hope,” Vitale had said, narrating the past.

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Maybe it was that same hope that did the trick, as now Dick Vitale is fully recovered from the clutches of the life-threatening disease. And now he is in a position to share this wonderful piece of information with the world, who are just as happy to see their favorite commentator get back in good health.

Fans Congratulate Vitale On His Recovery

The moment Dick posted about his full recovery journey, the internet came alive, congratulating him on his road back to good health.

“Wishing you good luck!!,” said a well-wisher, genuinely happy for the journey

And luck is what you need when you are grappling with an illness like cancer. Of course, recovery is very much possible, but having lady luck by your side makes the job a whole lot easier. Prayers help too, as he received many messages as he was battling cancer. The number of messages that flooded his phone surprised him.

From the Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, Arkansas coach John Calipari, Coach K (former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski), (former Villanova coach and ESPN analyst) Jay Wright, (ESPN CEO) Jimmy Pitaro, so many of his ESPN friends were there for him when he needed them most.

Rick Barnes went all the way to send him prayers every day for three or four months and that gave him strength.

“You can do it. @DickieV I believe you,” said another.

Vitale’s contribution to the basketball games has been immense over the years. He has been the biggest and most well-known personality in the sports media industry for decades. Right from 1979-80, he has been basketball’s top analyst.

Ironically, he was a basketball coach in his hometown of New Jersey and followed it up with an assistant position at Rutgers University. In 1973, Vitale took the head coaching position at the University of Detroit, where he had a 78-30 record in four seasons, including an NCAA Tournament appearance in his final year and that is what is making the fans wonder why he never went back to coaching after taking up the analyst role.

“I’ve often wondered why you didn’t go back to coaching. Took a break and enjoyed commentating too much? Maybe you would’ve been a good or great coach. But the path you took made you a legend! I always looked forward to you doing Kentucky games,” said the fan

It’s true cause after his final year with Detroit Mercy in 1976-77, he never took up another coaching assignment.

“Dickie V for President!!!” was the sentiment the fans showed.

Well, Dick Vitale’s candidacy for the presidency could very well be considered after the initiative he took to defeat pediatric cancer. The money Vitale raises through his annual gala for children is used for research to treat pediatric cancer.

“That’s why raising money for kids with cancer means everything to me. I’m obsessed with it. … When I see kids battling cancer, it breaks me. No child should have to go through that,” Dick Vitale had once said.

Vitale is truly a rare specimen who is not just a great analyst of the game but an even better human being who cares and makes a difference to the world with his selfless acts, and that is exactly why the world needs more of him.