CNN
It’s the battle of his life, and any day now, it may be over.
But even in the face of terminal cancer, legendary CNN sports anchor Nick Charles holds strong, especially for his 5-year-old daughter, Giovanna.
In an interview with CNN, Charles sits in front of the camera to discuss his career, his life and, most importantly, the wife and daughter he will leave behind:
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It’s an honest, heartbreaking look at his daily struggle, but Charles appears resilient. He’s thankful for the time he has been given and the time he has left. (More on TIME.com: Can Eating Strawberries Prevent Cancer?)
For more than 40 years, Charles covered every major sporting event, including the Olympics, the Kentucky Derby and the Super Bowl. He was even voted sexiest sportscaster in America — twice.
But rounds of chemotherapy have left Charles weakened. In 2009, he was told he was dying from incurable metastatic bladder cancer. Without treatment, he would have had four to six months to live. With treatment, he could expect about 20 months. Charles is now in his 21st month.
The CNN video excerpts a series of messages that Charles has taped for his daughter, so that she’ll have something to remember him by as she grows up. In one, he wishes her a happy seventh birthday as his wife of 13 years, Cory, holds the camera. (More on TIME.com: FDA Approves the First Melanoma Drug to Extend Life)
“My little girl needs a good daddy more than anything right now,” he told CNN. “This is a gift from God where I need to build these memories for her, so that I’m not a blur.”
Charles said his wife is “as strong as they come” and that she and Giovanna have such a strong foundation and bond with each other that he is “totally at ease” that they will continue to thrive without him. (More on TIME.com: Experimental Melanoma Drug May Help Extend Patients’ Lives)
For now, Charles is coping, fighting through the fear. “My story is to never give up on life,” he said.