Go here for a larger report on the Livestrong gala at the Austin Convention Center.
But here’s what a warm, steady and open Lance Armstrong said, slightly edited.
I am humbled by your support.
It’s hard to imagine that about a mile from here at Z Tejas, I sat with five friends 15 years ago. We talked about my diagnosis, my disease, my prognosis. We asked: How could we help and serve people. It was October 1996.
I said: Let’s do a bike ride. Maybe we would raise $1,000. Give it to someone else. But the mission grew.
Now 90 people the smartest people I know are up here on the stage with me. Over those 15 years, because of you guys and you gals, these people have touched the lives of 2.5 million cancer survivors around the world and raised half a billion dollars.
I never thought we’d still here talking about this global epidemic. But we are.
We are grateful for your support. We don’t take it for granted. We try to be good stewards.
This mission is bigger than me. It’s bigger than any individual.
MLK said “We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.”
This team behind me has infinite hope.
The people in this room have infinite hope. The mission absolutely must go on. We will not be deterred. We will go forward. There’s 28 million people around the world who need us.
One last request: Let’s have a hell of a good time tonight.