Prince Harry accepted his Pat Tillman Award last night, ignoring the furious backlash from veterans and Pat Tillman’s mother, Mary Tillman. Patti Mickel, from New Jersey, circulated a petition she created to try to call for ESPN’s choice to give the award to Prince Harry to be reversed.
Pat Tillman Was A Hero Who Died In The Line Of Fire
Pat Tillman was a football player who declined millions of dollars so that he could serve his country in the military following the terrorist attacks on 9/11. He was killed in the line of duty in April 2004. He died heroically defending his fellow soldiers.
The Duke of Sussex attended the ESPY Awards with his wife, Meghan Markle. Pat’s mother didn’t attend the ceremony. However, Pat’s widow, Marie Tillman, was in the audience and watched Harry take the stage to give his acceptance speech.
Meghan gave Harry a standing ovation, glowing with pride for her husband despite many claiming that Harry is “too privileged.” There were far more deserving veterans the award should have gone to.
Mary Tillman said that she was
“shocked that the award that honors her son would go to such a controversial and divisive figure and that “there are far more fitting recipients. These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections, or privilege that Prince Harry has.”
Last night, at the ESPY Awards, hosted by Serena Williams, Harry and Meghan’s close friend, Harry paid tribute to his mother, Princess Diana, and Mary Tillman.
He said that he respected how Mary fiercely protected her son’s memory, praised the wounded veterans’ sacrifices, and mentioned the Invictus Games.
Despite Thousands Of Protests, ESPN Backed Its Decision To Award Prince Harry
The royal was warned not to accept the award, or he would face the fury of opposing veterans. Harry served two tours in Afghanistan and flew an Apache helicopter. To his credit, he was on the frontline.
Harry accepted the award on behalf of military personnel, so he may have felt it was his duty to do so. Or, it may have been another way to gain publicity for himself and for ESPN to increase their ratings. Either way, he accepted the award despite thousands of angry protests.
“I stand here not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman Award recipient, but rather a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service personnel from over 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality, he declared. “This award belongs to them, not me.”
Prince Harry was deprived of his military titles when he and Meghan stepped down as working royals in January 2020.
Before the lavish ceremony, a small airplane flew over the ESPY Awards with a cryptic message to Harry,
“Prince Harry: Investigate Mum’s Death.”
No one could figure out what the message meant or knew who flew the plane. It was a strange occurrence that puzzled many people.
Even with the uproar precipitated by veterans, Pat’s mother, and those affected by Harry’s impending acceptance of the award, ESPN was quick to defend Harry, saying they chose the Duke of Sussex for his impressive work of The Invictus Games Foundation.
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