Hiking through the rough deserts of Afghanistan,  Pat Tillman felt no pain as the thousands of innocent lives lost on 9/11 were stained in the back of his mind. Focused and determined, Tillman was a man who believed passion is the purpose of life, and that everything you attempt, you should put your all into. Tillman’s philosophy is what defined him as a husband, brother, son, and man. 

Pat was happily married and playing professional football in 2001, when tragedy struck the nation. The attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon showed Americans that we were not entirely safe from attack, and that terrorism was a real issue. Pat felt compelled to enlist in the U.S. Army and left his NFL contract paying 3.6 million dollars to join the Rangers unit which paid $20,000. Tillman’s friend was even quoted as saying, “He was so excited about being a Ranger. Being a Ranger is the essence of what Pat was. Words like honor, trust and integrity weren’t just words to Pat. They were the fiber of his being.” Tillman describes being passionate about pursuits as non negotiable. In his view, giving your all should be an everyday occurrence. He was a man dedicated to making those around him better, and showed this through commanding leadership on the football field and the battlefield. Tillman chose to risk his life in order to protect his country over living a life of luxury and comfort, and there are not many people that would make that decision. 

In April 2004, while deployed in Afghanistan, Tillman was tragically killed in the line of duty due to friendly fire. Although his presence is gone, Tillman’s message lives on. His words have impacted many lives and his actions have inspired others to follow their hearts with the maximum effort possible. Pat was not just a believer in hard work on the battlefield, but he graduated early from college while also being named the Pac 10s defensive player of the year. Pat Tillman embodied a grind mindset; if he did something, he wanted to be on top. He didn’t allow someone to outwork him and this led him to success. In Tillman’s own words, “You should be passionate about it or else, why do it?”