Jimmy V week
Some of you know, every year about this time ESPN sets aside a week called Jimmy V week to pay respect to the memory of Jim Valvano and raise money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
In short, Jim Valvano was a college basketball coach at North Carolina State University (National Champs, 1983) and then became a broadcaster a little later in life. He was diagnosed with cancer in the early 90’s and it took his life in 1993. Two months before his passing, he was honored at the first ESPY (ESPN Sports Awards) awards show with the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award. He delivered one of the most powerful speeches I have heard in my life, and I try and take the 10 minutes to listen/watch it every year this week. A powerful message and a more powerful delivery make it worth your while. (This year I made my wife sit and watch it with me as well).
Don’t give up, don’t ever give up. RIP Jimmy V.
[…] Two years ago yesterday I posted the speech Jim Valvano gave at the 1993 ESPY awards after receiving the innaugural Arthur Ashe Courage Award. His body gave into the cancer that had consumed it just a couple of months after giving the speech. […]