Patrick Daniel Tillman for many is the embodiment of America's patriotic spirit. Turning his back on a lucrative, successful, and hard won professional football career, Tillman answered the call to duty in the wake of 9/11. He and his brother joined the Army, their goal the elite Rangers fighting corps. It was just weeks after Pat married his high school sweetheart, Marie Ugenti. After 28 weeks of training, he was sent to Afghanistan as part of Operation Mountain Storm. The operation's objective was to disrupt and destroy the infrastructure of the Al-Qaida terrorist organization and ultimately find Osama bin Laden. On April 22, 2004, Tillman's platoon was ambushed in the early evening near Khost in a mountainous region near the Pakistan border. It was announced that he was killed by the enemy after his heroic leadership helped to move a split section of his platoon to safety but five weeks later, the Army gave a different story, saying he died by probable friendly fire. Shortly after his death, Tillman was promoted from specialist to corporal and awarded the Silver Star and a Purple Heart. An estimated 3,500 attended a May 3 memorial service in San Jose, one of many tributes to Tillman. "Pat's best service to his country was to remind us all what courage really looks like," Arizona Senator John McCain told the crowd, "and that the purpose of all good courage is love."

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