(NewsNation) — Pat Tillman is one of the most recognizable American soldiers — he left a lucrative career in the NFL to become an Army Ranger, serving in Iraq and later on in Afghanistan, where he was killed by friendly fire in 2004.
His legacy is living on this Saturday in Tempe, Arizona, where 35,000 people will take part in the 19th annual Pat’s Run.
Even beyond the run, though, the Pat Tillman Foundation helps military service members, veterans and their spouses by giving them scholarships and development opportunities.
Dan Futrell, CEO of the Pat Tillman Foundation, said their team has an obligation to keep living a life worthy of Tillman’s sacrifice.
“There’s a weight to it, but it’s positive too, because Pat was also somebody who liked to joke around, (he was a) practical joker, liked to jump off cliffs … liked to drink a Guinness or two,” Futrell recalled.
Jay Vinnedge, an Air National Guard Flight surgeon and 2016 Tillman scholar, said he usually tears up at the finish line of Pat’s Run.
“Realizing the effect that this has had on my life and then seeing the communities that have been touched by the individual scholars — I mean, the ripple effect is absolutely insane,” Vinnedge said.