All eyes are on the Arizona Cardinals' first-round draft pick, but there is something special about their seventh, pick No. 226 – it’s the same pick the team selected Pat Tillman at in 1998.
Tillman Scholars Deborah Trimble and Jeremy Glasstetter will honor Tillman, presenting the Cardinals’ seventh-round pick live from the NHL Draft in Detroit on Saturday.
“Such an honor,” said Trimble on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “I can’t imagine being able to represent them on a national stage like this. It’s I mean I just never even dreamed of being able to do that.”
Trimble is a 2016 Tillman Scholar and Air Force veteran. She attended medical school at the University of Michigan and is set to graduate residency this year.
“We have been fortunate to carry [Pat Tillman’s] legacy forward and extend his services into our communities far and wide in the almost 900 scholars who have now been fortunate enough to be funded and a part of this family,” she said.
Glasstetter is an Army veteran who was a part of the inaugural class of Tillman Scholars in 2009. He attended the University of Michigan and received his Master’s degree. Now, he works for the State of Michigan.
“My parents instilled in me at a very young age the need to give back, not just to society, but anyone less fortunate or not able to either defend themselves for whatever reason,” said Glasstetter.
As Tillman Scholars, both Trimble and Glasstetter received their higher education through the Pat Tillman Foundation, but the experience wasn’t all about the money.
“They meant so much to me going through medical school and being there for me,” said Trimble. “The whole foundation is built around supporting the veterans going back to school, the challenges of being an adult learner and not in the same age bracket as the people who you are with.”
Although both Scholars noted their nerves about presenting the pick on a global stage, they look forward to sharing Pat Tillman’s legacy with viewers.
“That global footprint allows the league to redirect people’s attention to individuals serving their communities and potentially give back, fostering an environment of continued service,” said Glasstetter.
While nobody will know who the new pick No. 226 will be, the Tillman Scholars hope that they continue a legacy that has held strong for 20 years. The Pat Tillman Foundation has invested over $34 million in scholarships and leadership development for nearly 900 Tillman Scholars.
“That’s a tough situation because those are huge shoes to fill,” said Glasstetter. “I just hope they take the opportunity to reach back out to the Pat Tillman Foundation, work with the scholars and work with the cause of educating our nation’s heroes.”
