Beloved Longtime NBC Sports Announcer, Greenwich Resident Has Died

GREENWICH, CT — Dan Hicks, a longtime NBC sports announcer and Greenwich resident, has died, according to an announcement Thursday from his wife, Hannah Storm. He was 64.

"Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan following an acute illness. He was a devoted husband of over 30 years, loving father to our three daughters, and cherished friend to so many. His loss is immeasurable," said Storm in a social media post.

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The couple lived in Greenwich for over three decades after they married in 1994, with Storm also working as an anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter in Bristol.

"Dan was truly one of a kind and, quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around," Storm continued. "When he walked into a room, he brought the energy, the laughter and the people together. He was endlessly kind, thoughtful and funny, and he made everyone feel like they mattered."

Hicks spent 34 years at NBC Sports, which is based in Stamford, where he called some of NBC's most prestigious sporting events, his online bio says.

He worked at 16 Olympics dating back to the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, and served as a play-by-play announcer covering sports such as swimming, skiing and speed skating.

For the last 26 years, Hicks was the lead voice for NBC Sports' PGA Tour golf coverage, and most recently returned as the lead play-by-play voice for Notre Dame football.

The PGA Tour released a statement Thursday, saying in part that Hicks' broadcast style was "defined by a steady delivery, unmistakable enthusiasm, and ability to capture the significance of a moment.

Some of Hicks' most iconic calls include Tiger Woods' putt to force a playoff at the 2008 U.S. Open; the U.S. Men's Swimming relay comeback featuring Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China; and the Indianapolis Colts' 28-point comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game in 2014.

Before joining NBC Sports in 1992, Hicks had worked as a sports anchor at CNN since 1989. He began his professional career in 1984 as a sports anchor and news reporter for KCEE/WFM in Tucson, Ariz., where he was born.

"Dan Hicks was an extraordinary colleague, friend and person. In his 34 years at NBC Sports, he was an exceptional storyteller and caller of games and events who elevated some of the biggest moments in sports history," a joint statement from NBC Sports executives Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and Molly Solomon said.

"Dan's blend of knowledge, style, enthusiasm and humor informed and entertained fans for decades. But far beyond his on-air excellence, Dan was a better person who welcomed teammates with a smile, a joke, or a word of encouragement, sometimes all three in the same sentence."