April 29, 2004

Almaden’s Pat Tillman makes the ultimate sacrifice and becomes a national hero

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

It was a title he never sought, and certainly one he never wanted. But when Almaden’s Pat Tillman sacrificed his life for his country last Thursday during an ambush in Afghanistan, he became an American hero.

Tillman’s death sent shockwaves throughout the Almaden community as reports hit the newswires last Thursday night. According to the Pentagon, the 27-year-old Leland High School graduate and former NFL football star was the only U.S. soldier killed when his unit came under mortar and small arms fire during a battle with anti-coalition militia forces.

In his life, Pat Tillman wanted nothing more than to be considered “a regular guy.” Those who knew him say they now want to remember him as a son, brother, husband and friend—the good ‘ol boy who grew up in New Almaden, swimming and throwing rocks in Quicksilver Creek, rather than the pro football player who traded in his uniform for combat fatigues.

According to New Almaden spokesperson Kitty Monahan, the family wishes to remain isolated during the days ahead, but admits that Tillman’s father, Pat Sr. is pleased with everything everyone is doing. “It’s OK with them,” she said. “Even though they want to honor his wishes.”
Monahan remembers Tillman as a “normal teenage kid” who got himself into typical trouble, and then got out of it and mended his ways. She spoke of how he once paraded down Almaden Road in a horse-drawn carriage with his brothers and friends during his bachelor party. “Everyone out here had a lot of fun with him,” she said.

“He was a really great kid,” admitted family friend Caryl DeHerrera. “My son Bobby went to school with him and he didn’t want to be anything more than a regular guy. It’s going to be hard on the family. They’re real private people.”

Many emotions grip the hearts of those touched by Tillman’s life, especially the Bret Harte faculty, where his mother Mary works as a special education teacher. Many could be seen stepping out of class last Friday—fighting back tears and grieving for one of their own.

“He was such a role model for all of our sons,” observed Denise DeLong, who works with Mary Tillman and taught her younger son, Richard. “We are just devastated by her loss.”

“He really put himself in danger for this country and obviously for these students,” replied another shaken Bret Harte teacher outside his class. “It’s just the worst possible thing that can happen when someone makes such a courageous choice. His memory needs to be honored now.”

Tillman’s mark on Leland High School also remains an indelible one. “Many in our community played ball, coached, taught, and/or grew up with him,” commented Principal Susan Votaw. “Those of us who didn’t know him personally cannot but be impressed with his commitment to his beliefs. He serves as a model of integrity for all of us.”

“He was passionate about everything he did,” added Assistant Principal Robert Setterlund. “When we learned that Pat had signed up for the Army Rangers, there was apprehension, as everyone knew Pat would risk everything for what he believed in. He would never play it safe.”

Randy Zimmer, Leland’s former head coach, remembers Tillman as being arguably the best player to grace the high school football field. “I’m sure Pat wanted to be like everyone else,” he said, “He was anything but. No matter how many special things he did, he was still just one of the guys. That was the whole point of the no publicity. He never saw himself as being special—and that’s what made him so special.”

“Pat was a senior when we were in eighth grade,” added Zimmer’s son Tony, who grew up watching Tillman play football. “He was larger than life. It was an exciting time for us and he made it all the more special.”

Most admit that Tillman seemed to march to his own drummer. Former Leland athletic director, Barbara Beard, couldn’t have described him better than during a 1997 interview for Sports Illustrated when she said, “He’s driving on the same highway as everybody else, but he’s on the other side of the road.”

He wasn’t afraid to take chances and learn from his mistakes either—including one that almost stopped his football career in its tracks—a 1994 fight outside a pizza parlor, where he beat up a 22-year-old man while defending a friend. He pled guilty to felony assault and served a 30-day sentence in a juvenile detention facility, a fact he never hid from the media. The charge was later reduced to a misdemeanor.

Tillman attended his first college football practice at Arizona State just two weeks after his release. The consequences of that fight, including his fear of losing the scholarship, made him realize that decisions lead to repercussions, and his street fighting stopped.

On the playing field however, his was a different story. Although smaller in stature than a typical safety, the 5-foot11, 200-pound freshman earned the title of “hit man” by teammates—literally outthinking his opponents by using his intelligence and innate talent for reading body language to secure the nickname “Brave Heart” for being the toughest guy on the field. It was one many thought he would never attain. But Tillman liked the odds when they were stacked against him and welcomed the challenge.

His 3.85 GPA spoke for itself and parlayed nicely from the classroom onto the field. He graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University in only 3-1/2 years, with a degree in marketing, but not before being named the Pac-10 defensive player of the year in 1997 and setting a franchise record with 224 tackles in 2000.

His story caught the eye of the nation in May 2002, when he shocked the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL community by walking away from a promising pro football career to enlist in the military along with his brother Kevin, a minor league baseball prospect for the Cleveland Indians. He turned down a lucrative $3.6 million contract to earn $18,000 in service to his country, with plans to return to the NFL next year.

It wasn’t the first time he had sacrificed monetary gain for intrinsic values. According to former Cardinals coach Dave McGinnis, he snubbed a five-year, $9 million offer from St. Louis in order to remain loyal to the team that he said, “gave me a chance.”

“Pat knew his purpose in life,” said McGinnis during a live press conference last Friday. “He proudly walked away from a career in football to a greater calling. I don’t know if I have ever met a more dedicated person in my lifetime. He never wanted to be singled out and took great joy and pride in wanting to be part of a team. I am overwhelmed with a sense of sorrow, but I also feel a tremendous feeling of pride for him and his service.”
“In sports, we have a tendency to overuse terms like ‘courage’ and ‘bravery,’ and ‘heroes,’” added Cardinals Vice President Michael Bidwell, who called his death “a terrible loss.”

Even in the Army, Tillman remained unpretentious, yet dedicated to his patriotic convictions, passions that rose gallantly to the surface after the events of 9-11.

“I have always had a great deal of feeling for the flag, but you don’t realize how great of a life we have over here,” he said at the time. “In times like this, you think about how good we have it and what kind of a system
we live under—what freedoms we are allowed. That wasn’t built over night. The flag is a symbol of all that. A lot of my family has gone and fought in wars and I haven’t really done a damn thing as far as laying myself on the line like that, so I have a great respect for those that have and what the flag stands for.”

He became a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment out of Fort Benning, Ga. and served with his brother as part of the Army’s elite combat infantry unit serving in the Middle East under Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Both brothers shunned the media in an effort to maintain a low profile—turning down countless interviews, book deals and movie offers. Neither wanted special treatment for their celebrity status as they fought alongside their fellow soldiers on the combat field—a completely different arena than that of a football or baseball field, where mistakes, according to Army Lt. Col. Don Sondo, “cost lives instead of games.”

Last July, they were thrust into the limelight once again, when they won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, handed out to individuals whose contributions surpass the world of sports. Mary Tillman told an Almaden Times reporter that “they didn’t want to denigrate the name of Arthur Ashe,” after younger brother Richard accepted it on their behalf during the Espy Awards on ESPN. “Otherwise,” she said, “They wouldn’t have accepted it.”

“Pat never sought the fame or fortune that often surrounded him,” commented Vice Mayor Pat Dando. “His energy was dedicated to being a leader for his team, his community, and the country he loved so passionately. I join with every resident of San Jose—and every American—in expressing my heartfelt gratitude to Pat and his family for his brave and dedicated service on behalf of our country. Pat is a true role model for our youth and a shining example of bravery, leadership, and patriotism.”

“Pat will be remembered as an intelligent, well-spoken, unassuming man who was an incredible Ranger in peacetime and combat,” added Army Col. James Nixon. “I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve with such an outstanding young man.”

As memorial tributes start to surface on NFL and military Web sites, plans are underway to establish permanent reminders of one man’s decision to buck the trend and follow his heart. The Arizona Cardinals plan to name the plaza surrounding their new stadium the “Pat Tillman Freedom Plaza.” Scheduled to open in 2006, it will remain open year-round as an interactive exhibit to, “celebrate American freedom and Pat’s legacy.” The team also plans to retire Tillman’s jersey—the fifth in club history—and will pursue talks with the NFL to incorporate Tillman’s number 40 on future team apparel.

In New Almaden, many also remain determined to honor the memory of their neighborhood son, as flags continue to be added to telephone poles along Almaden Road and plans are being discussed to erect a memorial park near the creek where the Tillman brothers used to play as boys.

“Eventually, we’d like to have a flagpole and an area where kids can play there,” said family friend Caryl DeHerrera, whose husband and son want to build it in his honor. “I spoke with Pat’s mother and she really likes the idea, so we hope to get going on that soon.”

He didn’t like all the fanfare then and he certainly wouldn’t approve of it now. But Tillman, like it or not, became a national Icon when he set aside the American dream in an effort to protect the American foundation. He sacrificed his career and ultimately his life for his beliefs—a move that propelled him into a very elite group of human beings. Even though many others have and will sacrifice just as much for their country, few would walk away from a lucrative NFL career to put their lives on the line for freedom. It is that kind of selfless patriotism that exemplifies the definition of a hero.

Because of his actions, America has spoken, and they have given him the one title he never pursued—because he was resolute in the belief that he wasn’t any better than anyone else or gave any more of himself than the soldiers fighting alongside him. Serving his country is only one of the many decisions Pat Tillman made that helped thrust him onto the iconic pedestal. The nation has very few in which to choose from when it comes to patriotism. Hopefully, he won’t mind if his story helps encourage more people to err on the side of dignity and the value of human conscience.

“He was not the first and won’t be the last to give his life for his country,” exclaimed Mcginnis. “He always shunned the limelight and I am sure he would want that continued, but his life deserves to be celebrated and for his story to be told.”

The Pat Tillman Memorial Fund
The Pat Tillman Memorial Fund has been established at Bank One in memory of the former Arizona Cardinal who was killed in action in Afghanistan. Deposits of cash and checks may be made at any Phoenix, AZ area branch of Bank One. Checks should be made out to the Pat Tillman Memorial Fund, account no. 1599965140. The funds will be directed by the Tillman family.