PHOENIX — A massive sporting event called Pat’s Run will take place this Saturday in Tempe to honor the legacy of an NFL player who left a multimillion dollar contract to join the Army after 9/11.
The Pat Tillman Foundation has been hosting the 4.2-mile run for 21 years. The finish line is at Arizona State University’s Mountain American Stadium, where Tillman played football when it was known as Sun Devil Stadium.
Katherine Steele, the CEO of The Pat Tillman Foundation, said proceeds from the race support the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Tillman Scholars program, which provides scholarships for active-duty service members, veterans and military spouses.
“I was selected in 2014 as a Tillman scholar,” Steele told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Tuesday. “We have nearly 1,000 Tillman scholars across the country and they really are the ripple effect of Pat’s legacy.”
The foundation has given out over $38 million to support scholars, many of whom are burdened by debt or who give their GI educational benefits to their children, Steele added.
How does Pat’s Run benefit the community?
Joining Pat’s Run gives Arizonans the opportunity to connect with other people who care about uplifting their communities, Steele said.
“I think the one word that always rises to the top in any conversation with people that knew Pat was passion,” she said. “It’s what we see in our runners that join us for Pat’s Run every year … passion for their communities, passion for just making a difference and being with each other on a really hot Saturday.”
Tillman also wore No. 40 for the Cardinals as a safety before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He died while deployed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004.
“Everybody that knows him indicates that he would be out there right along with everybody, cheering them on, encouraging them,” Steele said.
What’s unique about Pat’s Run this year?
This year’s theme is “Legacy in Every Stride,” which pays tribute to three significant parts of Tillman’s life: his time as a student and football player at ASU, his NFL career with the Cardinals and his legacy as an Army Ranger.
“Run, walk, bring your family, bring your kids, get to enjoy some time with Coach Kenny Dillingham, who’s our race starter this year,” Steele said. “We also have the ASU football team coming out for the kid’s run.”
Dillingham, head coach of ASU’s football team, will be joined by his family as he amps the crowd up before the run.
“We have the Tillman Tailgate this year,” Steele said. “We’ve got vendors, a post-race celebration, food trucks, and we have a band, the Instant Classics.”
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