Recipients of the prestigious Pat Tillman Award for Service have come out in defense of Prince Harry after he was handed the military honor.
Following backlash in some circles to the royals’ win, two former recipients say Harry is deserving of the award, which is handed out by ESPN at the annual ESPY Awards.
Jake Wood, a US Marine who won the award in 2018, told TMZ that the Duke of Sussex’s record with veterans justifies his win.
This view was shared by 2017 winner U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro Jr., who told the outlet that Harry’s work with wounded vets makes him a worthy recipient.
It comes after Pat Tillman’s mother slammed ESPN after Prince Harry was announced as the winner, criticizing the network for giving the gong to a ‘controversial and divisive individual.’
Recipients of the prestigious Pat Tillman Award for Service have come out in defense of Prince Harry after he was handed the military honor
The award is named for military veteran Pat Tillman, a former NFL player who left the league to enlist in the army after 9/11. He died during a tour of Afghanistan in 2004
The award is handed out each year in honor of Pat Tillman, a former NFL player who left the league to enlist in the army after 9/11.
Tillman died during a tour of Afghanistan in 2004.
Prince Harry – who served two tours in Afghanistan – was scathed by Tillman’s mother Mary after his award win was announced last month, and said she was not consulted on who should win the award in her son’s honor.
‘I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,’ she said at the time.
‘There are recipients that are far more fitting. There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.
‘These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I feel that those types of individuals should be recognized.’
ESPN personality Pat McAfee also implied that Harry was picked as a purposefully divisive winner to increase TV ratings, however this view was disagreed with by the former winners.
Jake Wood, posing with the Pat Willman Award after his win in 2018, defended Prince Harry’s win this year and paid tribute to his military service
Del Toro Jr. told TMZ that he is looking forward to watching the Duke win the award this year.
He said that he respects Mary’s opinion, but felt that the award is all about service, with Harry’s role as the founder of The Invictus Games for wounded vets ticking the boxes to be deserving.
Wood added that the implication Harry only won for ratings makes little sense given the ESPY’s routinely pull a big audience full of A-list celebrities.
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