Long-time South Carolina radio host Mark Sturgis suffered a stroke Tuesday, with his wife Teresa relaying that on his Twitter account Wednesday. But she had some good news to share Thursday; Sturgis has now been told he’ll be able to go home once released (there was a possibility he’d have to stay in a nursing home for further care), and he’s set to begin physical therapy Friday.
I am sorry to inform y’all Mark had a stroke yesterday morning. He’s in ICU, and will be off the air for some time. Hopefully will be able to go home from the hospital, but short term rehab in a nursing home is a possibility. Just send him a positive thought. —Teresa
— Mark Sturgis (@SturgisSports) July 24, 2019
Update: Mark will be able to go home when released, no nursing home. That was the first time he’s smiled since the stroke happened. He will start Physical Therapy tomorrow.
— Mark Sturgis (@SturgisSports) July 25, 2019
Sturgis is currently the afternoon host of Straight Up with Sturg weekdays from 4 – 7 p.m. on the ESPN Upstate network, based in Greenville. As per his show bio, he majored in broadcast and film communications at Alabama, then furthered his education at Florida’s Full Sail University with a focus on specialized recording engineering. He worked in recording studios in Knoxville and Atlanta, then went on the road as a sound mixer for local and touring bands. He then moved back to Knoxville and then to the Upstate area of South Carolina, where he dove into sports talk radio in 2002. After working in a variety of markets, he then joined ESPN Upstate in April 2014, shortly after its February 2014 launch. And he was named the 2016 South Carolina Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.
It’s good to hear that Sturgis is recovering, although there’s currently no timetable for him to return to the air. He was supposed to be doing shows from the Carolina Panthers’ training camp this week, but midday host/assistant programming director Marc Ryan (who joined ESPN Upstate in January after stints in Houston and Tampa) will be filling in for him. Ryan tweeted his thoughts on Sturgis Wednesday, and followed up with his best wishes Thursday:
I’ve been in touch with the family, and the Sturgis’ are an amazingly optimistic+courageous group through incredibly trying times.
Sturg is one of the kindest and most dedicated people I’ve ever met.
It’s a privilege to call him a colleague, and I can’t wait to have him back.
— Marc Ryan (@MarcRyanOnAir) July 25, 2019
You’re going to dominate physical therapy, brother. Be gentle and kind to yourself right now. We’re all thinking about you, praying for you, and can’t wait to see you.
— Marc Ryan (@MarcRyanOnAir) July 25, 2019
Our best wishes go out to Sturgis and his family as well.
