Prince Harry is set to receive the “Pat Tillman Award” in the United States in July. This honor recognizes his dedication to veterans through the “Invictus Games.” However, the mother of fallen soldier Pat Tillman is outraged by this decision.
Prince Harry, 39, remains a polarizing figure, not just in the UK but also in his adopted home of the USA. This has become evident following the announcement that the son of King Charles, 75, will be awarded in the name of the late US soldier and former football player Pat Tillman, who passed away at 27. Tillman’s mother expressed disbelief, emphasizing why she views Prince Harry as the wrong recipient for this award.
Mary Tillman on Prince Harry: “There are more suitable recipients”
According to reports including from the “Daily Mail,” Mary Tillman stated: “I am shocked that such a controversial and divisive figure was chosen for this award. There are more suitable recipients. There are people working within the veteran community who are doing great things to support veterans.” She noted that she was not consulted in the decision-making process for this year’s award recipient.
Prince Harry also contributes significantly to the veteran community. The “Invictus Games” are his passion project, which he has been promoting internationally with dedication for the past 10 years. Mary Tillman does not diminish the efforts of Duke Meghan’s husband, 42.
Rather, it is his status that she dislikes. There are candidates for the memorial award who “do not have the money, resources, connections, or privileges that Prince Harry has. I believe that these kinds of people should be recognized.”
ESPN’s rationale for the decision
The “Pat Tillman Award” is presented by the sports television network ESPN. The network justified its decision, stating that Harry should be honored for his “tireless work, leveraging the power of sports to make a positive impact on the veteran community.”
Currently, it is unclear if Prince Harry will indeed receive the award. Tillman’s mother was not the only one shocked by the selection. According to the “Daily Mail,” there is a petition against Harry as the recipient of the Tillman Award. The petition urges the network to reconsider its decision, citing that the royal “has been involved in controversies that question his suitability for such a prestigious honor.”
Pat Tillman was a US football player who left his career to enlist in the Army following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. He enlisted in 2002 and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. “On the evening of April 22, 2004, Pat’s unit was ambushed while traveling through the rugged canyons of eastern Afghanistan.
His heroic efforts to provide cover for his fellow soldiers fleeing the canyon led to his early and tragic death by fratricide,” as stated on the Pat Tillman Foundation website.
