Pat Tillman, an NFL safety for the Arizona Cardinals, left his football career to serve in the U.S. Army and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004. His legacy is honored by loved ones through charitable efforts focused on his passions.
Pat Tillman during his service (left) and in the NFL
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo; Gene Lower /Sports Illustrated via Getty
Those closest to late NFL star Pat Tillman continue to honor the things that mattered to him, more than two decades after his death.
Pat's Run is the Pat Tillman Foundation's signature annual fundraiser. The organization was set up to identify "remarkable military service members, veterans and spouses, empowering them with academic scholarships, lifelong leadership development opportunities and a diverse, global community of high-performing mentors and peers."
Tillman was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 1998 and served as a safety for the team through 2002. Moved by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the NFL player turned down a $3.6 million contract to stay with the team, choosing to enlist in the U.S. Army instead.
It was during his time serving in Afghanistan in 2004 that Tillman was killed at the age of 27. His death was later determined to have resulted from friendly fire during an ambush on his platoon.
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Co-founder Perry Edinger joined The Mike Broomhead Show, where he explained how they're still honoring Tillman and his legacy, over two decades after his death.
Pat Tillman was a safety for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL from 1998 to 2002.
He turned down millions of dollars to serve in the U.S. Army, motivated by his sense of duty and patriotism.
Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan during his service in the U.S. Army in 2004.
His loved ones continue to honor him through charity work that supports the causes he cared about.
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Recalling the first year the run was held, Edinger said, "There were probably 20 of us putting the run on. We didn't know what we were doing. We were doing everything we can."
"A couple of days before the run, I get a call from this lady, and she goes, 'We want to show up. Is there something we can do? The elementary school is going to show up and we'd like to see if you can help us in any way.' "
The caller then tells him that Tillman "came and read to our class every week on Monday, when they had the day off," a complete surprise to Edinger. "This was a friend of mine and everybody I talked to, nobody knew about it."
The call was from Gina Bertocchi, whose class Tillman would visit. "Pat would come in when he was on the Cardinals, and there were many times the kids would say things that would catch him off guard,” Bertocchi told Cronkite News.
“One year, a student asked him how many interceptions he had. He said, ‘Well, none,' but [he promised that after] the next one, he would bring the football to the class. That next week, he got an interception, came back signing it and giving it to the kids."
Edinger said of the connection, "To this day, we still find a way to do something special for that group."
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