Tonight, the ESPY awards will honor performances on the court, pitch, field and track along with a tribute to the heroic actions of fellow athletes and colleagues who have faced tough challenges outside of their respective sports.
Such moments include last year’s emotional honor for longtime ESPN anchor Stuart Scott, who received the Jimmy V Perseverance Award for his courageous fight against cancer. Scott died in January at age 49.
One of the most talked-about ESPY honorees is Caitlyn Jenner, who will be presented with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at tonight’s award show. Caitlyn, the decorated Olympic champion, has transitioned to a woman.
Another who will be honored tonight with an ESPY — the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award — is former Notre Dame basketball player Danielle Green. Green, an Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient, will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
After losing her left arm in combat, Green now serves as a counselor to other veterans.
It makes her “feel good inside to help someone else in need,” Green said.
Other special honorees tonight include Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still and his 4-year-old daughter, Leah.
Devon has been at his daughter’s side as she battles cancer. Still shared some of their special moments (fist bumps, pep talks, etc.) on social media. Dad and daughter are receiving this year’s Jimmy V Perseverance Award.
“You can’t really give up and not give your child’s fight with cancer a purpose,” Still told ABC News, adding that the most humbling aspect of the attention on Leah’s cancer battle is watching his daughter “make such a big impact on this world.”
Leah will not be at the ESPYs with her dad to accept their award tonight but gave Still some advice.
“She’s like, ‘Dad you’re a big baby, stop crying,'” Still said.
Lauren Hill will also be honored at the ESPY Awards, according to the Associated Press.
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Hill inspired people with her fight against brain cancer and raised over $1.5 million for cancer research before she died April 10. The former Division III women’s basketball player just wanted to play one game in college. Her life will be celebrated in a special presentation at the ESPYs on Wednesday night.
Members of Hill’s family will be in attendance for the awards ceremony. There was some backlash when ESPN decided to honor Caitlyn Jenner with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, with many thinking Hill was more deserving.
Hill’s mother told USA Today that she wanted to make it clear to Jenner that her family had nothing to do with the criticism.
“I don’t think (Lauren) would have had a strong opinion on (the award) either way, to be honest,” Lisa Hill said. “She was pretty down-to-earth. She respected (people from) all walks of life and people who were different. She would have never been judgmental or harsh or anything like that. That’s just not who she was.”
With the exception of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and other special awards, the ESPYs are voted upon by fans and experts.
You have until 8 p.m. today to vote. Click here to cast your vote on ESPN.com.
The event raises more than $1 million annually for The V Foundation — the charity founded by ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano — to promote cancer research.
The ESPYs will be broadcast live tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC. Click here to learn more about the ESPYs.
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