Legendary college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale, who announced this summer he was diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time, had a surprise visit from his friend and Arkansas head basketball coach John Calipari. The two made a video to give fans an update on how Vitale is doing after his latest setback where he had surgery and several rounds of radiation.
Calipari spoke first and provided an update, saying, “I’m down here recruiting in Sarasota, and I had to come and see my good friend. I was worried about what I was going to see and all of a sudden, the dude’s talking to me. His weight looks good. He looks strong…I’m like what the heck. I’m hearing all this stuff. He sounds great folks. He’s in a battle. We’re all praying for him. I pray for him daily.”
Cal continued praising Vitale for his leadership in raising awareness and money for pediatric cancer and his work with the Jimmy V Fund and said he has also impacted the game of basketball and many of its players and coaches. “He’s been a dear friend to me,” Calipari said. “Not always nice to me now.”
Then fans had the chance to hear Vitale speak which after vocal cord cancer in July 2023 has not been an easy thing for Vitale to do. “I’ve been honest,” he said about Calipari. “Hey, let me just tell you this. After a surprise tonight, John came over to visit me and really it means a lot to me because I know I never share this with a lot of you, but John has prayed for me constantly. He sends me more messages, ‘I’m in church today, Dick, I’m praying for you.’
“The radiation really is tough, but you know prayers and friends like this keep me fighting. I have one philosophy in life, and I share it with all of you, that I’m having battles. We all have challenges in our life.
“I’ve had melanoma followed by vocal cord cancer, followed by lymphoma and then also now cancer [in my neck] and I’ve done, so far, 65 of the treatments, radiation, six months chemo. But through it all it was the inspiration of people like Cal and people like you, the fans, sending me prayers…it keeps me going on, to think positive and to have faith.”
