Legendary sports activities announcer Dan Hicks celebrated his daughter’s marathon achievement only a month earlier than his sudden loss of life, his last social media publish confirmed.
The enduring NBC broadcaster died all of a sudden on Wednesday on the age of 64 after battling an acute sickness. An actual reason for loss of life is unknown.
Within the wake of his shock passing, Hicks’ last social media publish has resurfaced, displaying a touching household second within the weeks earlier than his loss of life.
Hicks shared a three-slide Instagram publish to have fun his daughter Riley’s achievement on the Chicago Marathon, which befell on October 11.
In a video included within the publish, Riley may very well be seen operating the race, waving to her family and friends as they cheered her on.
She was additionally pictured beaming as she clutched her medal and bouquet of flowers on the end line, whereas a second photograph confirmed Dan, Riley and one other of his daughters, Ellery, fortunately posing for a photograph after she accomplished the course.
Dan Hicks proudly celebrated his daughter’s marathon achievement a month earlier than his loss of life (Supply: Instagram – @danhicksnbc)
Hicks handed away this week from an acute sickness. The veteran NBC announcer was 64
‘Our woman did it once more. third main marathon in 18 months. At the moment she tackled Chicagp (sic) and we have been there to marvel at her drive in scorching climate and smashing her PR,’ Hicks proudly wrote within the caption.
The heartwarming social media publish got here simply 4 weeks earlier than Hicks died in Connecticut this week.
Hicks’s spouse, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, shared an announcement on behalf of herself and their three daughters: Hannah, Ellery and Riley.
‘Our household is heartbroken by the sudden and sudden passing of Dan following an acute sickness,’ Storm stated in an announcement Thursday. ‘He was a faithful husband of over 30 years, loving father to our three daughters, and cherished good friend to so many. His loss is immeasurable.
‘Dan was really one among a form and, fairly merely, the particular person everybody needed to be round. When he walked right into a room, he introduced the vitality, the laughter and the folks collectively. He was endlessly form, considerate and humorous, and he made everybody really feel like they mattered.
‘Our three daughters and I are heartbroken. We’re grateful for the love and assist surrounding our household throughout this extremely tough time. There are merely no phrases to specific how a lot he shall be missed.’
The Tucson, Arizona native was finest recognized for calling the motion on the Olympics, on the PGA Tour and at Notre Dame soccer video games. He additionally labored NFL video games for NBC between 1992 and 1998.
Hicks’ largest moments on the mic included the US swim crew’s comeback on the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Tiger Woods’ dramatic putt to pressure a playoff on the 2008 US Open.
Hicks shared a publish after his daughter Riley ran the Chicago Marathon on October 11 (Supply: Instagram – @danhicksnbc)
Hicks’ spouse, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, has shared an announcement on behalf of herself and the three daughters she shared along with her husband: Hannah Hicks, Ellery, and Riley
Tributes from the sports activities media world poured in for Hicks on Thursday with Mike Tirico main the emotional messages.
Tirico, who calls Sunday Night time Soccer video games for NBC however missed final week’s recreation on account of sickness, paid his personal tribute to Hicks on Thursday and referred to as him a ‘broadcaster’s broadcaster.’
Talking on Golf Channel, he stated: ‘He had extra massive moments on his plate, and nailed each massive second. You’ll be able to’t consider a giant second that Dan did not have the correct name, the correct vitality, the correct phrases.
‘Take into consideration each Michael Phelps gold medal received in Olympic swimming, and Dan doing that. Take into consideration all the massive moments on the hill with all the good U.S. ski athletes on the Olympic Video games, and Dan was the voice.’
As Amazon Prime’s broadcast of the Thursday Night time Soccer recreation between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders went to a industrial break, Al Michaels additionally took a second to pay tribute to Hicks.
‘All of us within the sports activities broadcasting enterprise have been shocked to study this morning of the passing of Dan Hicks,’ the 82-year-old stated.
‘He offered captions to so many iconic moments in golf, tennis and Notre Dame soccer and he and Rowdy Gaines turned the calling of swimming at a number of Olympics into an artwork kind.
‘He was genial, he was compassionate, nice firm, had a world class humorousness and on this tough day for therefore many people, we ship our like to Hannah and your three daughters. Wishing you power and luxury.’
NBC Sports activities executives Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and Molly Solomon responded to the tragedy with their very own assertion on Hicks’ affect.
Hannah Storm and Dan Hicks met within the late Eighties once they have been each working at CNN
Tiger Woods (proper) is interviewed by NBC’s Dan Hicks (left) after profitable the TOUR Championship on September 23, 2018, on the East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta
‘Dan Hicks was a rare colleague, good friend and particular person,’ the assertion started. ‘In his 34 years at NBC Sports activities, he was an distinctive storyteller and caller of video games and occasions who elevated among the largest moments in sports activities historical past.
‘From Olympic swimming and snowboarding to Notre Dame soccer, quite a few different excessive profile occasions and particularly because the signature voice of our golf protection for the final 26 years, Dan’s mix of information, model, enthusiasm and humor knowledgeable and entertained followers for many years.
‘However far past his on-air excellence, Dan was a greater one that welcomed teammates with a smile, a joke, or a phrase of encouragement, typically all three in the identical sentence.
‘Our heartfelt condolences and like to his spouse Hannah and his daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley.’
