Pat Summitt has always been a competitor. After all, you don’t become the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history without a great deal of drive.
Summitt, who revealed last August that she had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, now faces the biggest challenge of her life. But she’s confident that she’ll be just as successful in battling the condition as she has been battling opponents on the hardwood.
“And it is time to fight, as I ask all of you to join me together, so we will win,” Summitt said upon receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2012 ESPY Awards on Wednesday.
The Arthur Ashe Award is given out at the ESPYs annually, and Summitt joins the likes of Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Jim Valvano and others as the award’s recipients.
The longtime Tennessee Lady Vols coach was introduced by quarterback Peyton Manning, who explained how inspirational Summitt and her fight against Alzheimer’s has been to him. A 10-minute tribute video was also shown, which led to plenty of misty eyes in the Nokia Theatre audience.
Upon taking the stage, Summitt delivered a touching speech alongside her son, Tyler. It wasn’t long, but it was inspirational in every sense of the word.
“I’m going to keep on keepin’ on, I promise you that,” Summitt said.
Would you expect anything less from Ms. Summitt? Of course not.
Photo of the Day
Gronk…wearing clothes?
Photo via Twitter/@JimmyTraina
Quote of the Day
Other than Kobe [Bryant], LeBron [James] and Kevin Durant, I don’t think anybody else on that team makes our team.
–Charles Barkley, responding to Kobe Bryant’s insistence that the 2012 USA Olympic squad could beat the 1992 Dream Team
Tweet of the Day
An easy way to put a positive spin on all of the world’s problems.
@NESN At least it’s not Nickleback.
— Bear(@bearbluni) July 12, 2012
