Kay Yow and Jimmy V - NC State Legends

I'm making a departure from the normal vitriol of this blog to report on something that touches even my cynical soul.

Last week, NC State Women's Hall of Fame Basketball Coach won the inaugural Jimmy V. ESPY for Perseverance, named for the incomparable Jim Valvano. My father went to NC State, and I will never forget watching that miraculous Final Four run Jimmy V's team made. I didn't understand what it meant at the time, but it is a story that has inspired me ever since.

Now, another great NC State coach has a story of inspiration. Kay Yow is fighting breast cancer for the third time. She spent three months of last season in the hospital, fighting for her life, all the while helping her team move forward to defeat the previously undefeated Duke in the ACC semifinals.

Kay Yow's story is greater than I can ever tell, but it could not be more fitting that she win the first Jimmy V ESPY for Perseverance. She epitomizes the V Foundation motto, "Don't give up. Never give up."

Extras:
Kay Yow fights a Courageous Battle (ESPN)
Kay Yow's acceptance speech (ESPN)
Kay Yow's bio (GoPack.com)
The V Foundation for Cancer Research
Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Jim Valvano's 1993 ESPY speech