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NFL wives' exercise campaign will honor the memory of Pat Tillman

Sporting News, The, Sept 20, 2004 by Paul Attner

Inspiration can smack you at the strangest moments. For Sally Gardocki, it happened last April in the middle of a 5K race that was taking her through thick woods and rough terrain. They had warned her about snakes; now, she also was concerned about breaking an ankle. It would be easy to stop. Then she thought of Pat Tillman. Pat Tillman would never quit.

She still doesn't know why she thought of Tillman. He had died a week earlier, shot in Afghanistan while leading a patrol of Army Rangers. The wife of Steelers punter Chris Gardocki, Sally had been bothered by Tillman's passing. But until that moment during that race, she hadn't realized how much.

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She couldn't stop thinking about what happened, and how she should deal with it. She felt compelled to do something. Something more than write a check. Something more than share e-mails with other NFL wives, all expressing their remorse about the death of the former Cardinals defensive back.

Eventually, she decided she would run. Not another 5K. Nothing that simple. She would run 500 miles in increments, finishing the last mile near the anniversary of Tillman's death. Her husband would sponsor her, pledging $2 a mile, and they would give the money to the newly formed Pat Tillman Foundation. And she would ask other NFL wives to come up with some physical activity and seek pledges, and maybe they would raise lots of money so during this season, people would not forget about Pat Tillman and what made him unique.

So wives are committing time to kickboxing, to aerobics, to biking, and they are asking their teams to publicize their efforts and fans to pledge support. They are calling it "Race for Pat," and it is one of the neatest grassroots projects you could want, particularly within the sterile, corporate culture that has engulfed the NFL.

Sally Gardocki isn't sure how much money will be handed over to the Tillman Foundation next April 22, a year after Tillman's death. The wives want it to be a big check, of course. But what really matters is something else. They've made this NFL season special for reasons that have nothing to do with how their husbands perform on the field.

For further information, go to: www.pattillmanfoundation.net. Send contributions to: Pat Tillman Foundation, P.O. Box 20053, San Jose, Calif. 95160.

NFL wives' exercise campaign will honor the memory of Pat Tillman

Sporting News, The, Sept 20, 2004 by Paul Attner

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