Prince Harry delivered a moving speech while accepting the 2024 Pat Tillman Award for Service at the ESPYs on Thursday night.
The Duke of Sussex accepted the award given to recipients with “a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger, Pat Tillman,” per ESPN.
Tillman quit his pro football career after the 9/11 attacks to enlist in the Army. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 in a friendly fire incident.
Harry began his speech by expressing his gratitude to the Pat Tillman Foundation, co-founded by Marie Tillman Shelton, who was in attendance at the ceremony Thursday night. Tillman Shelton was married to Tillman when he was killed.
The duke also recognized Tillman’s mother, Mary Tillman, who had publicly criticized ESPN’s decision to honor Harry.
“I would like to acknowledge the Tillman family, especially Mrs. Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother,” he said onstage. “Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal, and one that I respect.”
“The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses,” he continued.
ESPN’s selection of Harry as the award recipient sparked criticism in the weeks leading up to the ceremony, most notably from Mary Tillman.
“I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” Mary Tillman told the Daily Mail last month. “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,” she continued. “I feel that those types of individuals should be recognized.”
Additionally, a Change.org petition created last month asking ESPN to reconsider its decision to honor Harry had racked up nearly 75,000 signatures as of Thursday.
Elsewhere in his speech onstage at the 2024 ESPYs, Harry said that he accepted the award “not as Prince Harry, Pat Tillman Award recipient, but rather a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation, and the thousands of veterans and services personnel from over 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games a reality.
“This award belongs to them, not to me,” he said.
Frazer Harrison via Getty Images
In the statement announcing the duke as the recipient last month, ESPN recognized Harry’s 10 years of serving in the British Armed Forces, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan.
The network also paid tribute to Harry’s commitment to the Invictus Games Foundation, which he founded in 2014, saying he continued “his service by creating an international platform to support wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women — both active-duty and veterans — who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries.”
ESPN has stood by its decision to honor Harry amid the backlash.
“While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, the Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating,” the network said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter last week.
Shortly after he was announced as the recipient, the Duke of Sussex said in a statement, per the Invictus Games Foundation, that the honor was “for our entire service community.”
Last year’s award was given to the Buffalo Bills training staff, who saved NFL player Damar Hamlin’s life after he suffered cardiac arrest on the field during a game.
