TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — ESPN Analyst Dick Vitale revealed on Friday that he has a cancerous lymph node on his neck.
“My report on the Biopsy of the Lymph Node in my neck has arrived & it is cancerous,” Vitale said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “With all the [prayer emojis] I have received & the loving support of my family, friends, and ESPN colleagues I will win this battle.”
Vitale, who lives in the Sarasota area, said he has surgery scheduled for Tuesday, and thanked everyone for their prayers.
Vitale has previously been treated for melanoma and lymphoma. He celebrated being cancer-free in April of last year.
Vitale has been with ESPN since 1979, the year the network launched. He called ESPN’s first college basketball broadcast. He’s also a longtime fundraiser for cancer research.
Vitale helped friend Jim Valvano to the stage at the 1993 ESPYs, where Valvano delivered his famous “Don’t give up” speech. Valvano died of adenocarcinoma less than two months later.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.