Tribute to Pat Tillman, a true hero

April 20, 2022 — Last December, I interviewed Arizona State University head football coach Herm Edwards in Tempe, Arizona, for an Art of Sport Q&A that will be published in an upcoming issue of Yankees Magazine. While I was at Sun Devil Stadium for the early-morning interview, I got the chance to walk along the sideline of the football field from one end-zone to the other, en route to the coach’s office.

Before leaving the field, I stopped at a special landmark, the statue of Pat Tillman that was put in place in August 2017. Tillman, who played for the Sun Devils in the 1990s and later became an NFL star with the Arizona Cardinals, joined in the United States Army in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedies and sadly lost his life in Afghanistan in 2004.

Like so many others, I have long admired the Army Ranger for his sacrifice, and more than that, for putting the desire he had to serve his county above what was already a successful NFL career. So, while the interview with Edwards was memorable, so too was the time I spent admiring the nearly eight-foot bronze figure of a man who I still feel is, well, larger than life.

A few months before the statue was unveiled in front of the “Tillman Tunnel,” I participated in the annual Pat’s Run, a 4.2-mile race that ends on the 42-yard line at Sun Devil Stadium in honor of the number the defensive stalwart wore. The race serves as the signature fundraiser for the Pat Tillman Foundation’s Tillman Scholars program. For me, even though I’ve completed four marathons and 26 half marathons in some really amazing places, crossing the finish line at Sun Devil Stadium in April 2017 remains one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had in the sport.

This Saturday, the 18th annual Pat’s Run will take place in Tempe, Arizona, and several of the foundation’s satellite races will be held throughout the country over the next few weeks. I’m proud to have published a photo of the Pat Tillman statue in the Spring Issue of Yankees Magazine and the New York Yankees Official 2022 Spring Training Program, along with one of the best-looking and inspirational ads you’ll ever find, promoting this year’s race.

— Alfred Santasiere III