Volunteers honor Pat Tillman’s legacy by building benches for Chicago’s city parks

CHICAGO — Volunteers came together for an impactful service project on Saturday morning part of the Pat Tillman Leadership Summit in memory of the soldier who lost his life overseas.

Pat Tillman Foundation scholars made a lot of noise in Washington Square Park. They built 100 picnic tables and park benches that will be donated to parks across the city.

“I’m not the best carpenter. We’ve done a little bit of home remodeling, but you learn on the spot. We’ve only made a couple mistakes so far,” Brentyn Jones, a Navy veteran, said.

“You got instructions, you got power tools, we can really figure it out,” Heather King, an Air Force veteran, said.

The mission carries on the legacy of a hero.

After the 9/11 attacks, Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman put his NFL career on hold and enlisted in the Army. He was killed in April 2004 by friendly fire in Afghanistan.

“To be able to give back and still provide a meaningful impact to communities has been fantastic,” Jones said. “Even when he was in the service, he always made a point to talk with children and give back to the community and I think this is a great representation of that.”

Tillman’s family started the foundation, which has awarded $40 million in scholarships to active-duty service members, veterans and their spouses so they can further their education.

“When people come to a park and they see the benches, it encourages them to sit and take a break, to not be so active with phones. It gives them a chance to connect with their environment, connect with their community, connect with each other,” King said.