Prince Harry to be honored with Pat Tillman Award at ESPYs 2024 for his service in British Armed Forces
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Prince Harry has been chosen for the 2024 Pat Tillman Award for Service at ESPY Awards on July 11.
The Tillman Award is “given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and US Army Ranger, Pat Tillman,” according to ESPN.
Talking about Tillman, he was a safety for the Arizona Cardinals who enlisted in the US Army after the 9/11 attacks. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 in a friendly fire incident.
Prince Harry is being honored this year due to his service in the British Armed Forces (including two tours in Afghanistan) as well as his work in founding The Invictus Games for “creating an international platform to support wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women — both active-duty and veterans — who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries,” as per ESPN.
Prince Harry is among the three special honorees at this year’s ESPY Awards with former NFL safety Steve Gleason named for the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for his fight with ALS; and University of South Carolina (USC) women’s basketball head coach, US Olympic Hall of Fame member and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member Dawn Staley set to receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
“It’s our privilege to recognize three incredible individuals — Steve Gleason, Dawn Staley and Prince Harry,” said Kate Jackson, VP of production for ESPN. “These honorees have used their platforms to change the world and make it more inclusive for marginalized and suffering communities, demonstrating incredible resilience, positivity and perseverance, and we’re thrilled to celebrate them at The 2024 ESPYS," she added.
Former NFL safety Steve Gleason, South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, will be honored during the @ESPYS for their courage, perseverance and service with three special accolades 🏆
— ESPN (@espn) June 27, 2024
More on their awards: https://t.co/b5mCyS5BZ6 pic.twitter.com/aXiPA1li7e
Essence of the Pat Tillman Award
The Pat Tillman Award has traditionally been given to people who are popular and is cherished everywhere. The recipients include veterans Jake Wood in 2018 and Gretchen Evans in 2022, despite it being given to athletes in the past, such as English soccer star Marcus Rashford in 2021 and boxer Kim Clavel in 2020. In 2023, the training staff of the Buffalo Bills, who helped save the life of safety Damar Hamlin on the field last year, was picked for the honor.
