The mother of a fallen soldier is furious after the award honoring her war hero son is to be presented to Prince Harry.
She criticized the Duke of Sussex, saying there are others “much better suited” and with less “privilege” who could win the gong.
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Harry will be honored with the Pat Tillman Award for Service for his work at Invictus Games at the glittering ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on July 11.
The ESPY Awards (Excellence in Annual Sports Performance) are administered by the sports TV network ESPN and the Pat Tillman Award has been given to unsung heroes.
But Tillman’s mother, Mary, said she was “shocked” that the award was given to such a “controversial and controversial individual,” the Daily Mail reported.
She said: “There are beneficiaries who are much more suitable. There are individuals working in the veteran community who are doing incredible things to help veterans.
“These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privileges that Prince Harry has. I feel that these types of individuals should be recognized.”
A petition was also launched to try to stop ESPN from awarding the prince, who is also a veteran, with the award.
One signer said: “Pat Tillman sacrificed his life for duty and country! Harry walked away from duty and country and spat on his Commander-in-Chief, country, duty and family on his way out.
“All for a Hollywood dream! I’m shocked as an American that you gave him this award. Now it means nothing!”
While another wrote: “There are others much more deserving. This is a slap in the face.”
For the past ten years, the Pat Tillman Service Award has been “given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman “, according to ESPN.
Harry received the award “in honor of his tireless work in making a positive impact on the veteran community.”
ESPN said the Invictus Games “transcended borders and impacted lives on every continent.” the power of sport.”
The Duke founded the Invictus Games a decade ago to support wounded and sick servicemen and women – both active duty and veterans.
This is despite Harry courting controversy by boasting about killing 25 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.
He wrote in his memoir Spare that he had taken “chess pieces off the board”, causing former Colonel Tim Collins to respond that “that’s not how you behave in the army”.
Retired military officer Colonel Richard Kemp says the award is just “celebrities massaging each other’s egos”.
He previously told The Sun: “He was a gunner on an Apache helicopter in Afghanistan, but so were a lot of other people.
What happened to Pat Tillman?
ESPN reported Tillman’s tragic death in 2014 as the 10th anniversary approached.
Tillman was a safety for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals for four seasons before joining the Army.
He enlisted eight months after 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Tillman, a California native, turned down a $3.6 million contract offer when he enlisted in the Army.
“The events that led to one of the most infamous friendly fire deaths in U.S. military history were fraught with questions from the beginning,” ESPN reported.
“After an Army Humvee broke down in the mountains, Tillman’s platoon was split up by superiors so the Humvee could be removed; a local truck driver was hired as the transporter.
“But the two groups struggled to communicate as they traversed the steep terrain. And the second group was soon caught in a deafening ambush, taking fire as it maneuvered along a narrow, rocky canyon trail.”
A squad leader would misidentify an allied Afghan soldier positioned next to Tillman as an enemy, according to ESPN.
Soldiers would shoot at what Army Ranger Steven Elliott called “grim images,” ESPN reported.
“I can think of many people who did extraordinary things whilst serving in the British and American armed forces who would be far more deserving of an award like this.
“It’s obviously because of who he is – not what he’s done. An Apache is crewed by two people – a pilot and a gunner. Harry was a scorer. He was number two on the aircraft.
“There have been some incredible aeronautical exports from helicopter pilots in Afghanistan, Iraq and other war zones.
“There are some extraordinary stories – many of them covered by The Sun – involving enormous flying skill and bravery.
“As far as I know, Harry – although I commend him for going out there and doing that – has not accomplished feats like that.”
Prince Harry’s Archewell organization has been approached for comment.
Past Pat Tillman Service Award honorees include
The Buffalo Bills (2023) coaching staff after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field.
Retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Gretchen Evans (2022) who founded Team Unbroken, an adaptive running team comprised primarily of veterans.
Marcus Rashford, Manchester United star (2021)
Healthcare professional and boxing champion Kim Clavel (2020)
Kristie Ennis, former Marine and founder of the Kristie Ennis Foundation (2019)
Navy-Marine Commendation Medal recipient, Sergeant and founder of Team Rubicon Jake Wood (2018)
Israel Del Toro, Purple Heart recipient and Invictus Games gold medalist (2017)
U.S. Army Sgt. and Invictus Games gold medalist Elizabeth Marks (2016)
Former Notre Dame basketball player, Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient Danielle Green (2015)
Josh Sweeney, US Paralympic gold medal sled hockey player and Purple Heart recipient (2014)
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
