The sports world received a miracle that's fitting for the holiday season on Thursday afternoon, after one of its most revered figures shared a major announcement.
Dick Vitale — the legendary college basketball broadcaster who had been battling vocal cord cancer for the past five months — posted on X on Thursday.
Santa Claus came early for me & my family . Just was on the phone with Dr Rick Brown ( my oncologist ) Dr Ken Meredith ( bloodwork ) They gave me super news that the PET SCAN was clean (NO CANCER ) & my bloodwork was all very good .To many of you I send ?????? & THANK YOU for ur?
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) December 14, 2023
This fantastic news comes as a delight to all sports fans, as Vitale is one of the few figures in any sport who is universally adored by the masses. He has been broadcasting college basketball since 1979, and he had faced and overcome two other cancer diagnoses (melanoma and lymphoma) in the past.
Now that this third bout with cancer appears to be behind him, Vitale — in his typical fashion — doesn't plan to sit on the sidelines for long.
Vitale initially announced in October that, despite his ongoing fight with cancer, he intended to return to the broadcast booth on Nov. 28, when Miami and Kentucky's men's basketball teams faced off in Kentucky. Then, once November came around, Vitale announced that he was going to need more time to rest his voice as he prepares for the latter half of the college basketball season — a decision that was echoed by his doctor.
"Dick had gone through a number of procedures to manage the disease and then, over time, he did require radiotherapy, which is completed now. He's done remarkably well," Vitale's doctor, Dr. Steven Zeitels, said in a statement. "The tissues are all healed. At this point, he can start using his voice, he'll see how long it takes to recover."
Now, with Vitale's vocal cord cancer in the rearview, he's most likely setting his sights on returning for the 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament. Therefore, if everything goes according to plan, college basketball fans can expect their beloved broadcaster to be courtside again come March.
Santa Claus came early, indeed.
