Inside Article
Cecil Hurt was a leading voice in the fabric of Tuscaloosa sports for over four decades. He was the most trusted source for Alabama football news around. Unfortunately, he passed away on Tuesday, 23 November, at UAB Hospital.
Originally from Tuscaloosa, Cecil Hurt was born in 1959. He attended Butler High School and later graduated with a degree in English and a minor in psychology from the University of Alabama in 1981.
Died, Cause of Death, and Funeral
The longtime sports columnist died Tuesday, 23 November, at UAB Hospital in Birmingham. Hurt, 62, had complications from pneumonia. He died peacefully surrounded by his family members and a friend.
The city editor of The Tuscaloosa News, Ken Roberts, paid tribute to Hurt, saying:
“We’ve lost a truly unique voice and we will miss Cecil as a consummate professional and, most importantly, as a person.”
A statement was released on behalf of Hurt’s family, which reads:
“Cecil passed peacefully while surrounded by family and a close friend. Please keep Cecil’s family in your prayers as they cope with his passing.”
It Continued:
“His family sincerely appreciates the outpouring of support shown to Cecil throughout this process. They would also like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at UAB ICU for the exemplary care and compassion they provided to Cecil and his family.”
Hurt is now survived by his mother Cаrol Messinа, brother Cаry Hurt аnd his wife Aimee, аnd sister Cаren Hidgon аnd her husbаnd Rаy.
His funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
Net Worth, Salary, and Income
Hurt joined the Tuscaloosa News in 1982 as a sports writer. Seven years later, he was promoted to the newspaper’s sports editor and columnist. He covered Alabama football, basketball, baseball, and other sports for The Tuscaloosa News over his career. He was a member of the Tuscaloosa News team that earned a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the 2011 tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa and the surrounding areas.
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame honored him with the Mel Allen Media Award in 2019. He was named Alabama Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association in 2016 and 2019.
He received numerous state honors from the Alabama Sports Writers Association, Alabama Press Association, and Associated Press Managing Editors, as well as more than a dozen top 10 national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors.
As a sports columnist, Hurt accumulated a hefty fortune working for Tuscaloosa News. Though the exact figure of his net worth is not known, he was worth over a million dollars.
Married, Wife, and Children
Hurt had lived an exclusively private life. There is no report available about him being a married man. So, information related to his wife and children is currently unavailable.
Family, Parents, and Siblings
The sports columnist was born to parents – Carol Messina and Cecil Lamar Hurt. His father played football at the University of Alabama and later served as a coach and special education teacher in Tuscaloosa and Madison Counties. He grew up with two siblings – brother Cary Hurt and sister Caren Hidgon.
