Dear Craig Sager,

Vibrant, witty and cunning are just of the characteristics that describe you. You are as bold as they come from your hard-hitting journalistic outlook on sports to your wild and wacky suit colors and designs.

It was so hard for me to hear that you were diagnosed with Leukemia in 2014.

For a person that has put a smile on my face, as well as so many others’, it’s only right that we repay you the favor.

They say those who smile the most have the hardest stories, and you are no different. Your never say die attitude is something to live by and I am happy to say that you are a living, walking testament to what perseverance is.

It is only fitting that you received the Jimmy V Espy Award for perseverance: an award that has been held by some of the most influential people.

People such as former NBA coach George Karl, ESPN analyst Stuart Scott and football player Devon Still and his daughter Leah. You rightfully claimed your place on that list in early July of this year.

On March 22, I saw some news that would’ve shook the world of sports. The report read “Craig Sager given 3-6 months to live.” That news would have been a lot for anybody to handle. That was until I saw the way you handled it.

You clarified the report by saying that the diagnosis was true if you did not receive chemotherapy treatments, but you were in fact getting treated for the disease. You also said “I will never give up” and you will keep “Fighting to the end.”

That’s when it truly hit me, you are loved by so many not by what you do but who you are.

People love you because they feel like they know you. You have excelled at your job the best way you know how and you have made plenty of fans by doing so.

I am very proud that I got the chance to watch you cover your first ever NBA Finals game.

Now we as fans, would like to see you put your all into one job right now. And that is getting healthy and beating cancer.

I’m sure you know it but you mean so much to so many. Just look at the NBA players past and present, they all understand that you are not only a great reporter but a great person.

Often times in life we get so caught up in the here and now and we never think of the big picture. Even with your outlandish suits and inspiring journalistic abilities, I don’t think fans, including myself, appreciated you for everything that you really were.

However, it’s never to late to right your wrongs so I would just like to say thank you Craig and stay #SagerStrong.

Sincerely,

Terrel “Chatterbox” Emerson