Through sheer sadness and tragedy, sometimes there is triumph, and that is the overwhelming reaction to my first experience (and certainly not the last) with the Pat Tillman Foundation and Pat’s Run.
What makes it even more gratifying is that it wouldn’t have happened had Joe Horrigan, my co-host on the Pro Football Hall of Fame radio show, not lost his voice a day before our April 3 broadcast. Coincidence? No. Somehow, it was meant to be.
Rich Desrosiers, the Hall’s chief communications and content officer, took Horrigan’s place and in addition to the two Hall of Famers coming on the show, arranged to have foundation co-founder Alex Garwood, Tillman’s brother-in-law, on the show.
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The timing was apt, with this year’s Pat’s Run being the 20th as well as the approaching 20th anniversary of his death, which is Monday.
To say that Garwood is passionate about Tillman’s legacy and the work that has been accomplished by the foundation is a massive understatement.
It motivated me to write several stories on this site and, most important, participate in the weekend events that included the reception the night before and the run the following morning when I decided spontaneously to walk the 4.2-mile course.
That occurred when seeing the starting line banner with the Pat Tillman foundation logo on both sides with the words “Service Beyond Self” on the left and “Every Finish Line is a Starting Line” on the right.
And then watching the thousands of runners gather, including the presence of about 90 of the nearly 900 Tillman Scholars that have benefitted from the program that began in 2009. They were either volunteers or runners, so it was the least I could do.
From the website, “The foundation identifies 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. These scholars are making an impact as they lead through action in the fields of health care, business, public service, STEM, education and the humanities.”
Each year, only 60 from the thousands of applicants become the chosen ones.
As Garwood described, “When you spend time with a Tillman Scholar, most of it is inspiring. Most of it makes you want to do more.”
Truer words were never spoken.
There was Dr. Katherine Steele, a 2014 Scholar who was named foundation CEO this year, and spoke at the reception. After becoming a Scholar, she was a frequent volunteer and then eventually became director of programs before being named CEO in January.
Steele told CardsWire, “Being awarded the Tillman Scholarship in 2014 was a transformative experience for me, personally and professionally. It helped me financially and allowed me to connect with a community of individuals who were equally passionate about service, impact, and humble leadership. The Tillman Scholar community motivated me to continue my commitment to education and service, and it validated my belief that one person can make a positive impact on the world.
“As the CEO, I am excited to give back to an organization that has given me so much. My goal is to create an environment where scholars can thrive, realize their full potential, and significantly impact their communities. The Tillman Scholar community has provided me with an incredible network of support, mentorship, and inspiration, and I want to ensure that future generations of scholars have the same opportunities.”
She believes the future remains exciting, saying, “I am committed to expanding the reach and influence of the Foundation by exploring new and innovative ways to support scholars and pay it forward. I am dedicated to creating a culture of service and leadership that embodies Pat Tillman’s legacy of integrity, humility, and selflessness. As a Tillman Scholar, I have seen firsthand the life-changing impact this scholarship can have on an individual’s life and their ability to make a difference in the world. Leading PTF and carrying Pat’s legacy is truly an honor and privilege.”
Also speaking at the reception were Liz O’Herrin-Lee (2010 Scholar) and Amber Manke (2012).
O’Herrin-Lee was scheduled to enlist in the National Guard on Sept. 10, 2001, but was told to return the next day (9/11) to sign in. Greeted the next morning by the horrifying images in New York City, would she decide not to enlist or follow through? We know the answer. O’Herrin Lee chose courage and served seven years in the Wisconsin Air National Guard assembling and transporting conventional weapons for F-16s.
She actively fought for the post-9/11 GI bill that provided better educational support for veterans.
Manke was named to the foundation board of directors in 2023 and she said then, “I was deeply honored to have been chosen as a Tillman Scholar, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to provide a voice and lead inside the foundation as a member of the board. I feel just like I did when I got the call to join this community in 2012: humbled, surprised and energized. I’m ready to bring my experience and passion for organizational leadership and development to make a difference.”
Being a Tillman Scholar enabled her to earn a master’s degree in adult education and a PhD in organizational leadership, policy and development from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and she was selected to attend the United States Army War College to obtain a master’s in strategic studies.
Manke helped launch the Tillman Foundation’s regional captain program, which builds engagement with Tillman Scholars through volunteer service projects and social events throughout the country. She has served as a lieutenant colonel in the Minnesota Army National Guard as a battalion commander training the next generation of second lieutenants and warrant officers.
The day of the run after I walked the 4.2-mile course, I met 2012 Scholar Joe Molina, who has been active duty for 26 years and was a decorated Navy Seal after nine deployments.
He explained that the Scholar grants weren’t limited to educational costs. When he was 32 and his wife Stephanie was 27, they enrolled in college and were also able to use the funds for childcare.
Yes, inspiring is the operative word.
I couldn’t help but notice during the reception that Garwood was wearing flip-flops, which seemed apropos while recalling former Cardinals head coach Dave McGinnis talking about the day Tillman showed up at the team facility to talk to him a few days after being drafted also with flip-flops.
Other inspiring moments came after meeting Kevin Tillman at the reception and then shortly afterward, as the reception wound down and while getting ready to leave, a song playing in the room captured my attention. It was Leonard Cohen’s emotional “Hallelujah.”
Cohen once explained, “Hallelujah is a Hebrew word which means ‘Glory to the Lord.’ The song explains that many kinds of Hallelujahs do exist. I say, all the perfect and broken Hallelujahs have an equal value. It’s a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion.”
There are several verses of the song that resonate, but perhaps none more than this one:
“I did my best, it wasn’t much.
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch.
I told the truth, I didn’t come to fool ya.
And even though it all went wrong, I’ll stand before the Lord of Song.
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah.”
Hallelujah to the Pat Tillman Foundation and all its dedicated supporters.
Most important, a tear-filled Hallelujah to Pat Tillman, whose passing way too soon has nonetheless resulted in so much good for so many.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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