I was at work on the morning of September 11, 2001 getting ready for another normal Tuesday morning, when my boss called and said I needed to come to the conference room. When I got there, I could not believe the images unfolding in front of me on the t.v. I was transfixed by what I saw. I felt shock, anger, horror, fear, disbelief and numbness all at the same time. As the days passed I, like a lot of others, thought, "What can I do to help?". I'm ashamed to admit that I never did anything to make a difference and, eventually, everything went back to normal.
Also watching those tragic events was a young man named Pat. Like many other men and women, Pat felt compelled to do something to make a difference. And, unlike me, he did something about it. When his contract was up with his employer, Pat enlisted in the Army. What makes Pat's story different than 1000's of others who enlisted after 9/11? It's that Pat Tillman was a rising star in the National Football League. When his contract with the Arizona Cardinals was up, Pat turned down a contract that would have paid him $3.6 million a year to play football. But Pat wanted to be a soldier. It could have been a public relations dream come true for the Army, but Pat didn't want to be a recruiting poster or PR man, Pat want to be a real soldier and went on to become a Ranger, the Army's most elite fighting unit.
Five years ago today Pat Tillman gave his life for his country. Our Country. It of course came out later that Pat was a victim of so-called "friendly fire", but Pat's legacy should not or cannot be tainted. So, as you make your way through your daily routine, take a moment and think of the sacrifice made not only by Pat Tillman, but by all of the servicemen and women who make sacrifices defending our freedoms on a daily basis.
Rest in Peace #40, a true American Hero.
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