TEMPE – Sitting in the home of Gina Bertocchi, a Pat Tillman-signed football serves as a lasting reminder of a man known for his commitment to service, humility and the impact he made on others.
The football tells a story of how Tillman visited Gina Bertocchi’s kindergarten class at Kyrene Traditional Elementary Academy in Chandler every year, spending time reading with students, talking with them, promising one day to bring them an intercepted football and eventually fulfilling that promise by leaving behind a gift that connects his memory to the classroom and those he continues to inspire today.
“Pat would come in when he was on the Cardinals, and there were many times the kids would say things that would catch him off guard,” Bertocchi said. “One year, a student asked him how many interceptions he had. He said ‘Well, none,’ but (he promised that after) the next one he would bring the football to the class.
“That next week, he got an interception, came back signing it and giving it to the kids.”
This story is just one example of many illustrating Tillman’s legacy, which lives through Pat’s Run, an annual event that brings tens of thousands of people together to run, volunteer and reflect on the values he embodied. While the signature course winds through the streets of Tempe and finishes at the 42-yard line of Mountain America Stadium, there are more than 30 “honor run” locations spread across the country, from Hawaii to New York.
Now in its 21st year, Pat’s Run was founded by a group of friends and family, including close friend and co-founder Perry Edinger, to honor the former Arizona State and Cardinals safety following his death by friendly fire while he was an Army Ranger serving in Afghanistan in 2004.
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Tillman walked away from a lucrative NFL career to enlist in the U.S Army, a decision that reflected his desire to serve his country and be a part of something greater than himself. The 4.2-mile run, organized by the Pat Tillman Foundation, has invested more than $40 million in academic scholarships and leadership development for nearly 1,000 Tillman Scholars, service members, veterans and military spouses.
Bertocchi was among the first volunteers involved with creating the event, helping organize the inaugural race in 2005. In the early years, the number of participants continued to expand, with about 30,000 runners and walkers now expected to participate in Saturday’s event.
“The idea got thrown out to do a run,” Bertocchi said. “We felt 4.2 miles was perfect because it represented Pat Tillman’s (ASU) number 42 and it’s not too hard so that people who aren’t usually active can push themselves, because that’s what Pat was all about.”
That same message continues to resonate with those participating in this weekend’s run. Troy Takesian, who is a part of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at ASU, is running it for the first time and is excited to embody Tillman’s message of service and sacrifice.
“It means a lot to me personally,” Takesian said. “Pat was obviously a great example of sacrificing yourself for something greater. He stopped playing football to enlist himself in the military and become a Ranger. As someone who wants to continue on that legacy of service in the future, this run is important to me.”
That sense of service extends beyond those running the race to the hundreds of volunteers who help make the event possible each year. Among those volunteers are members of ASU’s men’s hockey team, whose coaches and players arrive early on race day to staff a water station, spending hours supporting and helping runners and contributing to an event that reflects the same values Tillman represented.
“It’s become an annual tradition with ASU hockey and is such an honor to be associated with the event in any way possible,” coach Greg Powers said. “Pat embodies everything we want our young men to be about. If we can field a team half as selfless as Pat was, success at the highest level will follow.”
From a signed football for kindergarteners in Chandler to students and volunteers spread across Arizona and other states, Tillman’s impact continues to reach far beyond the football field.
For 21 years, on one weekend in April, Pat’s Run has been an emphatic reminder of Tillman’s impact as tens of thousands of participants and volunteers honor a legacy centered on service, leadership and making a difference for something greater than oneself.
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