Pat Tillman

A young boy makes a life changing decision by shimming out of a towering two story window. He looks down, but the howling wind whips his face and pushes him back. He inches forward again on the edge of the roof carefully, making sure he is stable. His body sways with the wind. That time he almost falls over the ledge. Afraid for his life, his mom leans out the window below with arms stretched out towards him trying to catch his fall. Suddenly, their two arms touch, and he finally feels safe. But, the stroke of fingers is long gone when the wind slowly pushes him back again. Suddenly, the wind shifts again and forces the boy off the roof. His mom makes a daring move and reaches out for him. The young boy feels the security of two arms wrapped around him. He blinks and sees the familiar colors of his room. He is safe. Who knew this young daring boy would turn into one of the most selfless and fearless men of them all. Patrick Daniel "Pat" Tillman was born on November 6, 1976 during a sunny day in Fremont California. From early on in his life, Tillman was a great athlete and became a typical Californian surfer with long wavy hair and a squared off jaw. During high school years at Leland High, he led his school to a divisional championship. A high school classmate once said; "'All the girls loved him [...] and all the guys wanted to be him'" (Johnson and Murr). After finishing high school, Pat applied to a few colleges, among them Stanford University which was located close to his hometown. Stanford however did not accept Tillman because his grades were not high enough. Ultimately, Tillman went to Arizona State University ("ASU") on a football scholarship and excelled as a linebacker for the Sun Devils. Following college, Tillman went on to play in the National Football League. After the horrifying 9/11 terrorist attacks, he remarkably turned down a 3.6 million dollar contract and rather enlisted in the military. Tillman, nonetheless, was killed on April 22, 2004 by a friendly ambush near a tiny town in Sperah, Afghanistan. As if the story was not tragic enough, the United States Army intentionally lied about his death and used his story as propaganda. A hero is defined as a person who is admired, idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. Tillman possessed these qualities all throughout his life. Pat Tillman was not like any other military soldier; he is also a hero because he expressed supreme selflessness when he put his life on the line for his country,  remained humble about his job and because he showed mental toughness throughout his whole life.

Pat Tillman demonstrated extreme selflessness when he put his life on the line for his country and fellow Americans. After the 2002 NFL season, Tillman became a star and "in May 2002 Arizona offered its tackle record holder a three-year, $3.6 million contract; however, Tillman informed the team that he had instead signed a three-year deal with the U.S. Army" (The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives). Tillman thought about the lives lost from terrorists attacking his home country, he used his athletic abilities to draw new and better strengths. Tillman utilized his power of being selfless for the better of his country. He sacrificed money and security along the way. Tillman could have kept his safe and successful job, but instead he chose a job that protected and served his country. In an interview taking place after 9/11, Tillman was shocked as to what had happened in New York and said "'I haven't really done a damn thing as far as laying myself on the line like that'"(Johnson and Murr). Under normal circumstances, professional athletes would have taken the money and kept the well paying job; so it seemed unreal when Tillman abruptly decided to quit football and risk his life. Tillman knew what he wanted to do with his life and ran towards that goal. Tillman showed an utmost amount of passion for helping others and took that passion and carried it throughout the battle field by putting himself in enemy's way in order to protect his country.

Tillman's mental toughness was one of his strongest characteristics that he demonstrated throughout his life. He showed mental strength on the football and battle field; "Tillman continued being his own spirit, as in his college days, occasionally stationing himself 200 feet above Sun Devil Stadium on a light tower, reflecting upon his thoughts after having made the dangerous climb in sandals"(The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives). If the climb wasn't enough of a challenge, the light tower was highly unstable as well; but that did not discourage him from reaching its top. He still climbed it, not fazed by the immediate danger. He just wanted to reflect on his life. Even when Tillman was confronted with danger, he did not let it dismay him from reaching for his goals. He had a life to live and a legacy to prove. Tillman's mental strength was a quality he always possessed. He also knew how to use his toughness to his advantage; "Tillman was the only player to have memorized the play book and in fact had also highlighted the book's misspellings and contradictions" (The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives). He did not fear about other's opinion of him and continued with his objectives. He showed his dominance by not only doing what the coaches asked of him but also going above and beyond the minimum required expected from him (such as fixing the play book.) When faced with any challenge, Tillman would take it head on, allowing him to succeed and thrive in most situations. In one instance, Tillman "[...] sat in the center of the first row, only to be challenged by an established Cardinal for the chair. [.] reportedly, Tillman looked directly at the veteran and said in a voice loud enough for the entire room to hear, 'You're going to have to kick my butt to get me out of this seat'" (The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives). Tillman always stood up for himself and exhibited that no obstacles can stand in his way of life. His outlook on life centered around a conviction that many obstacles were just minor bumps as to what was impending in his life.