Retired Command Sergeant Major Gretchen Evans was recognized during the 2022 ESPYS ceremony this week.
The Pat Tillman Award was given to Evans at the annual awards ceremony during which she gave an emotional speech.
The 30th annual ESPYS were held on Wednesday 20th July at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA. Since 1993, the ESPYs ceremony has been held each year to commemorate outstanding achievements in sports throughout the previous year.
The Pat Tillman Award for service is one of the many honours presented during the ceremony, which commemorates the life and legacy of NFL player Pat Tillman, who gave up his professional football career to serve in the U.S. Army
Retired Command Sergeant Major Gretchen Evans was presented with the 2022 ESPY award. On the red carpet of the ESPYS, Evans expressed her gratitude for being a part of such an event.
CSM Gretchen Evans accepted the Pat Tillman Award for service while also reflecting on how to keep his memory alive.
Evans said,
“I ask you to look and find that flickering light that’s inside of you. Whether you are a star athlete, a wounded veteran, facing shattered bones or a crushed spirit, embrace your struggle for what it is but know that you do not have to do this by yourself.”
How many years did Gretchen serve for?
Gretchen Evans who is currently 61 years old served for 27 years. In 1979, when she enlisted in the United States Army, Evans was 19 years old. According to an interview with AARP, Evans originally joined the force because she wanted to learn new talents and support herself but soon figured out that she wanted to make a career path for herself in the military.
She served in the army for 27 years, working her way up to the rank of command sergeant major. She also led several deployments overseas.
In 2006, while Evans was serving in Afghanistan, she was wounded by incoming fire. This led to her retirement from the military. She is now known as a motivational speaker, an author, and the founder of the adaptive racing team UNBROKEN.
Peace Nero is a writer and blogger who loves to explore different topics of self-development. She shares her personal experiences in order to help people discover their true purpose in life.