When you think of the pageantry of college basketball, you think Dick Vitale.

The legendary ESPN college basketball broadcaster sat down with Sports Michiana for a long-form conversation on the November 9 edition of Notre Dame Federal Credit Union’s Irish Football Fix. In our Focus on Faith interview, Vitale discussed overcoming five battles with cancer, broadcasting as his best medicine, his love for Notre Dame and how he manages to stay positive and keep the faith.

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But staying positive isn’t always easy, and the 87-year-old admits he’s had his share of difficult moments.

“I remember one time vividly, I’m in the hospital, Sarasota Memorial Hospital. My wife and my daughters and my sons-in-law and my five grandkids were all there to visit me. And when they left, I started crying hysterically and a nurse ran in. ‘What’s the matter?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. I think that might be the last time I ever see my family,'” an emotional Vitale recalled. “I was devastated because I just felt it was over. And she gave me so much inspiration. ‘You’re going to make it. You’re going to make it. You’re going to be fine.'”

Vitale says he feels it’s important to share his story publicly, hoping to inspire others facing their own battles.

“And if I could just give a little recommendation to anybody out there dealing with whether it be cancer, heart disease, any kind of disease, any problems in life, please, I beg you from the bottom of my heart, always think positive and always have faith,” Vitale said. “If you have faith and you think positive, you can get through those tough times, but it’s up to you not to roll over. I vowed when they told me I had cancer, I wasn’t going to allow it to just put me in bed, sleep and cry and be sad for myself. And I stayed active.”

Vitale has certainly stayed active. He attended Saturday’s Notre Dame-Miami football game and will return to the broadcast booth later this month for his 47th season at ESPN.

Our Focus on Faith interviews are presented by Vince and Pat Turner.