ESPN responds to Pat Tillman’s mom’s complaint over ‘controversial’ Prince Harry receiving ESPY Award
ESPN has defended its determination to honor Prince Harry with the Pat Tillman Award for Service on the 2024 ESPYS — regardless of blowback from the late hero’s mom, Mary Tillman.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, was final week named as one of the recipients at this 12 months’s upcoming ceremony for his army expertise and work on the Invictus Video games.
However the announcement didn’t sit proper with Mary, who slammed ESPN and claimed she was never consulted in regards to the determination.
“ESPN, with the help of the Tillman Basis, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, particularly for the work of The Invictus Video games Basis because it celebrates its tenth 12 months selling therapeutic via the facility of sport for army service members and veterans world wide,” ESPN stated in a press release Monday.
“Whereas we perceive not everybody will agree with all honorees chosen for any award, The Invictus Video games Basis does unbelievable work and ESPN believes it is a trigger value celebrating.”
The status award is handed out to people who’ve made important contributions on this planet, which echo the legacy of the previous NFL participant and US Military Ranger, who enlisted after the Sept. 11 terrorist assaults.
Talking out in regards to the determination, Mary hit out on the sports activities community.
“I’m shocked as to why they would choose such a controversial and divisive particular person to obtain the award,” Mary told the Daily Mail.
“There are recipients which can be much more becoming,” she added. “There are people working within the veteran neighborhood which can be doing super issues to help veterans.”
The baffled mom additionally identified that Harry is already well-known and has acquired loads of awards in his life, so ESPN ought to have chosen another person who’s by no means been within the highlight.
Mary’s condemnation was echoed by ESPN analyst Pat McAfee, who accused his personal community of “trying to piss people off” for choosing the exiled royal.
“It’s going to Prince Harry,” McAfee stated on his discuss present, “who I don’t even assume is a Prince anymore, proper? He stated don’t name me that? See, why does the ESPYs do that s–t?”
Regardless of Mary’s agency stance, two former recipients of the award have thrown their help behind ESPN’s determination to honor Harry.
Jake Wooden, a US Marine and former faculty soccer participant who gained the award in 2018, told TMZ that Harry is a “pure match” for the consideration resulting from his army background and work with veterans.
Wooden instructed the outlet that the Duke devoted his life to serving and supporting the army — which must be honored as a result of there are lots of alternative ways he may have lived his life.
Nonetheless, he made it recognized that Mary has each proper to talk her thoughts.
US Air Power Grasp Sgt. Israel Del Toro Jr. — who gained the award in 2017 — stated Harry is a worthy recipient.
Regardless of being mired in controversy over his royal life, Harry served the British army for 10 years, together with two excursions in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot.
He additionally created the Invictus Video games in 2014, which serves as a multi-sport, Paralympic-styled video games for wounded or injured servicemen and veterans.
“This one is for our total service neighborhood,” the daddy of two stated after studying of the consideration.
Tillman, a former security for the Arizona Cardinals, served in Iraq and then Afghanistan earlier than he was killed by pleasant hearth in 2004, with the soldier posthumously awarded the Silver Star and Purple Coronary heart for his service.
