Pat Tillman inspires cousin of ASU star quarterback to join Army
TEMPE, Ariz. - It's been over 21 years since Arizona State and Cardinal icon Pat Tillman died in action while serving in Afghanistan, but his influence remains ever present today.
A relative of Sun Devil star quarterback Sam Leavitt was inspired to enlist in the Army because of Tillman's story.
The backstory:
One of the Valley’s most revered veterans is Arizona State’s own Pat Tillman.
Tillman's selfless dedication to his teammates and devotion to his country has inspired many of the people who knew him and have come to know him since he died in action in Afghanistan in 2004.
Local perspective:
One young man particularly moved by Tillman’s life of service is the cousin of Sun Devil star quarterback Sam Leavitt.
"My senior year of high school, I read ‘Where Men Win Glory,’" Jackson Jolie said. "It’s a biography of Pat Tillman. I read that book, and I was sitting in class like ‘Man, what should I do with my life.’ I was a senior in high school trying to figure out life, and his dedication to his principles was inspiring for me because he gave up millions of dollars in the NFL, fame, and fortune to serve the country."
Jolie felt a jolt inside him after reading Tillman’s story, so much so that he enlisted in the United States Army.
"I just had this feeling in my soul to pursue something. I didn’t tell my family until I had the paperwork in hand, handing it to them, which went over well because here I am," Jolie said.
Dig deeper:
Jolie is now a Green Beret, currently stationed in Japan. And just as Tillman inspired him to join the military, Jolie in turn inspired his cousin Sam to donate $15,000 to the Pat Tillman Foundation.
"It’s just a big thing for me and my family," Leavitt said. "I got a cousin who’s a Green Beret. It means a lot to me, and it’s a big-time story at ASU. So to be able to do that and give back in a situation where I’m helping kids out at the same time, it just makes me feel like a better person."
Becoming better people is at the center of these cousins' calling. Sam on the football field and Jackson on the battlefield.
Like Tillman, they’ve listened to the voice inside them and chosen to follow it in the direction of the people they wish to be.
"Why not me? I think Sam also has this theme, like ‘Why not me? Why can’t ASU be champions? Why can’t I win the Heisman?’ And I think that applies to me as well," Jolie said. "I was sitting there ‘Why can’t I join the military? Why not me? What holds me back from serving my country and doing great things?’ I think that attitude was beneficial ultimately because I joined and I joined willingly and faithfully, and it led to a lot of great things."
The Source: This information was gathered by FOX 10's Blake Niemann, who spoke with Jackson Jolie, the cousin of ASU's star quarterback.