What cancer did Bryant Gumbel have? Former Today show host’s brother Greg Gumbel passes away from cancer

Greg Gumbel, Bryant Gumbel's brother and former CBS Sports anchor and commentator, has passed away. He was 78. An official statement from the family reveals that he succumbed to "a courageous battle with cancer."

Back in October 2009, Bryant Gumbel was also forced to undergo surgery to extract a tumor from his lung. In December of that year, when he was filling in for Regis Philbin as a co-host on Live! with Regis and Kelly, he revealed that he had lung cancer. While he failed to disclose the specifics, he revealed that it was serious. He said on the show:

"I kept it private. It's nothing to hide from,"

Gumbel added.

"They opened up my chest, they took a malignant tumor and they took part of my lung and they took some other goodies. And the pathology on most of the stuff had been benign, but enough aggressive cells had escaped the tumor that it warranted some treatment and I went through that and it's done now."

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Everything to know about Greg Gumbel: His life, legacy, and death

As reported by CBS News, the official statement from the family, which came on Friday, reads:

"It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel. He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity. He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten. Greg's memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him. — Marcy & Michelle Gumbel."

The trailblazing CBS sportscaster was forced to sit out his first NCAA Tournament this March, citing family health issues at the time. He returned to CBS News for his second stint in 1998, and just last year, he signed an extension with the company that let him serve as the host of college basketball. As for his role as an NFL announcer, he took a step back.

In 2001, he became the first Black announcer in the nation when he stepped in for CBS at the Super Bowl XXXV. Per The Guardian and CBS, David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, had good things to say about his former colleague:

"The CBS Sports family is devastated by the passing of Greg Gumbel. There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television. He was beloved and respected by those of us who had the honor to call him a friend and colleague. Benson added, "A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time. He was a familiar and welcoming voice for fans across many sports, including the NFL and March Madness, highlighted by the Super Bowl and Final Four."

In 2022, Greg Gumbel celebrated his 50th anniversary as a broadcaster.

"Greg broke barriers and set the standard for others to follow. It is an extremely sad day for all of us at CBS Sports and the entire sports community. We will miss Greg dearly, and send our deepest condolences to his wife Marcy, daughter Michelle, and his entire family."

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Greg Gumbel is known for hosting the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics for the network, as well as the Major League Baseball games. In 1995, he was given the honor of hosting the World Figure Skating Championships, and the next year, he hosted the Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta for NBC.