Prince Harry. Frazer Harrison/Getty Photos
Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Provider at the 2024 ESPY Awards despite the backlash bordering the honor.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, approved the award at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 11. He started his acceptance speech by thanking Marie Tillman Shenton, cofounder of the Tillman Basis and acknowledging the rest of the Tillman household, including Pat’s mother, Mary Tillman.
“[Mary’s] advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply private and one that I regard. The bond involving a mother and son is everlasting and transcends even the best honors,” Harry shared with the group. “The reality is, I stand right here not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman Award receiver but fairly a voice on behalf of the Invictus Video games Basis and the thousands of veterans and services personnel across 20 nations who have produced the Invictus Online games a actuality. This award belongs to them, not to me. That claimed, it is of fantastic great importance to me to emphasize these allies, athletes and their astounding family members for their achievements their spirit and their braveness at each possibility, specially on evenings like this in entrance of persons like you.”
The prince defined that about the earlier 10 years, the games have assisted lessen the variety of veteran suicides, sharing that the “spirit” of the Invictus Online games “transcent race, time and borders,” were being “born from unity” and “exude objective.”
It is when all over again time for the greatest stars in sports to descend on Los Angeles for the ESPY Awards. The 32nd annual awards show will consider area at the Dolby Theatre for the third consecutive yr, with all people from Patrick Mahomes to Caitlin Clark and even Prince Harry up for an award. The ESPYs […]
“And though so substantially development has been manufactured because those very first games, the earth exterior seems to be in an even extra precarious point out. We reside in an age marked by polarization and division. Conflicts rage all around the globe,” he ongoing, noting that the Invictus community “challenges” differences and “proves that unity is not just probable but formidable.”
“The attractiveness of the Invictus Online games lies in how it delivers individuals together no make any difference one’s nationality, track record or personal struggles. It is a collective, construct from braveness and mutual respect,” he discussed. “Where athletes learn time and time once more the common denominator of their humanity. Obtaining survived the crucible of armed fight and the solid by means of the challenge to rebuild bodies and intellect impacted via conflict, they variety a relatives. The exemplify the quite most effective in all of us. There is a army expression that dates back to Roman instances. … The phrase translates roughly to ‘Leave no a person powering.’ … I have no doubt Pat Tillman and his comrades lived by individuals words and phrases.”
He ended his speech by earning a promise that “no issue the street ahead” the Invictus Online games will depart “no one at the rear of.”
The Pat Tillman Award is supplied to an unique with a solid connection to sports activities who has served many others in a way that honors Tillman’s legacy. Tillman, who was a basic safety for the Arizona Cardinals from 1998 to 2001, was killed in overcome when serving as a U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan in 2004.
Harry was regarded for his 10 decades of provider in the British Armed Forces and for cofounding the Invictus Online games, an international event in which lively and veteran support users who have been wounded, wounded or sick contend in sporting gatherings.
Past recipients of the Pat Tillman Award involve soccer star Marcus Rashford, who raised tens of millions throughout the Covid pandemic to feed kids in England, retired Army Command Sergeant Major Gretchen Evans and the Buffalo Costs coaching staff who aided help you save Damar Hamlin’s lifestyle subsequent his cardiac arrest.
In addition to Harry, the 2024 ESPY Awards honored previous NFL participant Steve Gleason with the Arthur Ashe Award for Bravery and College of South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
“It’s our privilege to realize three unbelievable persons — Steve Gleason, Dawn Staley and Prince Harry,” Kate Jackson, ESPN’s vice president of manufacturing, explained in June. “These honorees have used their platforms to improve the world and make it far more inclusive for marginalized and struggling communities, demonstrating extraordinary resilience, positivity and perseverance, and we’re thrilled to rejoice them at The 2024 ESPYS.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have usually been proponents of giving back again. Charity has played a substantial component in their romance, both equally while they were being senior users of the British royal spouse and children and due to the fact they declared their selection to stage back again in January 2020. Two years just before Harry satisfied Meghan in 2016, he arranged the […]
After Harry was announced as the recipient of the Pat Tillman Award, Tillman’s mom, Mary Tillman, criticized the selection.
“I am stunned as to why they would choose this kind of a controversial and divisive individual to obtain the award,” she explained to the Each day Mail in June. “There are recipients that are considerably additional fitting. There are individuals doing the job in the veteran group that are accomplishing incredible factors to assist veterans.”
She extra: “These people do not have the income, means, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I sense that all those varieties of individuals must be regarded.”
Prince Harry has remained focused to the armed service following his retirement from the British Royal Army in 2015. The Duke of Sussex is a single of a lot of users of the British royal household to provide their country all through heritage. Harry was aspect of the armed forces for 10 decades with his support commencing in 2005. 1 […]
In response to the backlash, ESPN stood by its range of Harry for the award.
“ESPN, with the support of the Tillman Foundation, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, specifically for the do the job of The Invictus Games Basis as it celebrates its 10th calendar year promoting therapeutic via the electric power of activity for military services services users and veterans close to the world,” ESPN reported in a assertion to Us Weekly. “While we fully grasp not absolutely everyone will concur with all honorees selected for any award, The Invictus Video games Basis does amazing operate and ESPN thinks this is a bring about worthy of celebrating.”
