Kristie Ennis has been chosen as the recipient of the 2019 Pat Tillman Award for Service. She will be honored during the 2019 ESPYS on July 10.
What’s happening:
- On Wednesday, July 10, former Marine Corps Sergeant, Kirstie Ennis will be honored with the Pat Tillman Award for Service during the 2019 ESPYS.
- Ennis was selected as this year’s recipient for her dedication to serving others.
- The 2019 ESPYS Presented by Capital One airs live Wednesday, July 10 (8:00-11:00 pm EDT) on ABC.
Via Kristie Ennis Twitter
About Krisite Ennis:
- While on duty in Afghanistan, Ennis was in a helicopter crash in an active combat zone that resulted in severe injuries including facial trauma, brain injury, cervical and lumbar spine trauma, and bilateral shoulder damage.
- Following more than a dozen surgeries, doctors decided to amputate above the knee on her left leg.
- Having been an athlete for most of her life, Ennis turned to sports as part of her recovery.
- She founded the Kirstie Ennis Foundation to provide education and opportunity in the outdoors and to support other non-profits dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals and families.
- As part of her efforts to inspire others, Ennis has walked 1,000 miles across Britain for a Walking With the Wounded charity event.
- In 2013 she competed in the Warrior Games where she took home three gold medals in swimming.
- In 2017, she decided she would set out to become the first female above-the-knee amputee to summit all seven of the world’s highest peaks and has since climbed:
- Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa
- Carstensz in Indonesia
- Mount Elbrus in Russia
- Aconcagua in Argentina
- Her most recent attempt to climb Mount Everest took place in April and May of this year, and brought Ennis and her team within 200 meters of the finish line before they turned back due to life-threatening conditions.
- Ennis is also a Paralympic hopeful in snowboarding.
What they’re saying:
- Pat Tillman Award for Service recipient, Kirstie Ennis: “After being medically retired from the Marine Corps due to my injuries sustained overseas, I have dedicated my life to serving others in a different way. To receive the Pat Tillman Award and to be associated with a true American hero is a tremendous honor. It has taken a village to get me to this point in my life, and I would not be where I am now without the amazing people surrounding me. To me, this is a symbol of community and what it means to pay it forward.”
- Marie Tillman, Board Chair and Co-founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation: “Pat lived his life with passion and conviction, driving forward in the face of any obstacle that crossed his path. I see that same drive and courage in Kirstie as she continues to push the limits and achieve her best. We are proud to present the Tillman Award to Sgt. Kirstie Ennis for her service and leadership.”
About the Pat Tillman Award for Service:
- This special award was established in 2014 to commemorate the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger’s legacy, and honor an individual with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of Tillman.
Past honorees include:
- U.S. Paralympic gold medal sled hockey player and Purple Heart recipient Josh Sweeney (2014)
- Former Notre Dame basketball player, Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient Danielle Green (2015)
- U.S. Army Sgt. and Invictus Games gold medalist Elizabeth Marks (2016)
- Purple Heart recipient and Invictus Games gold medalist Israel Del Toro (2017)
- Navy-Marine Commendation Medal recipient, Sergeant Jake Wood (2018)