Honoring Pat Tillman

Today is the 5-year anniversary of Army Ranger Pat Tillman's death in Afghanistan. If you don't know Pat Tillman's story, the short version is this: Pat was a pro football player with the Arizona Cardinals. Deeply affected by the events of 9/11, he gave up his successful football career to join the army with his brother Kevin in 2002. After serving one deployment in Iraq, he was sent to Afghanistan where he was killed on 4/22/04. His family was told that he had died heroically, pursuing the enemy up a hill, and he was awarded the Silver Star. A month after he died, they learned the truth: Pat had been killed by his own men, a "friendly fire" incident. Since that time there have been seven investigations into his death, and two Congressional hearings. The government and the Army gave the family false information and covered up many of the details surrounding Pat's death. The Tillmans still don't know what really happened to their son in that Afghanistan canyon.
Mary Tillman, Pat's mother, wrote a book in his honor called Boots on the Ground by Dusk. I read the book last summer and was extremely moved by Pat's story and all his family had gone through in seeking the truth. I wrote to Mary to tell her so, and was pleasantly surprised when she wrote back to me to say thank you. The family is still searching for answers.
We may never know the truth about Pat's death, but in my view he is a real hero. He gave up a life of fame and wealth to serve the country he loved because he felt it was the right thing to do. You can honor his memory by learning more about him, starting with his mother's book. She also did an interview on 60 Minutes last May with Katie Couric, and several soldiers who were with Pat in Afghanistan are interviewed, too. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/01/60minutes/main4061656.shtml (If this link won't work, you'll have to type in the address--sorry!) There are numerous other articles available online about his life, death, and the cover-ups. You can also donate to the Pat Tillman Foundation, which "seeks to forward Pat's legacy by inspiring and supporting young people striving to promote positive change in themselves and the world around them." (www.pattillmanfoundation.org)
Pat Tillman's life ended at 27, far from home in a desolate war zone. But his legacy has affected millions of people who never knew him--including me.