Danielle Green’s acceptance of the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the ESPY Awards is a potent and profound acknowledgement of a life characterized by bravery, selflessness, and steadfast service. Green, a Purple Heart recipient, a veteran of the Iraq War, and a former West Virginia Mountaineers women’s basketball player, personifies the core values of the Pat Tillman Award: selflessness, resiliency, and a dedication to something bigger than oneself.
Danielle Green was an exceptional player for West Virginia University before her name came to represent boldness outside the basketball court. She demonstrated the tenacity, self-control, and leadership that characterize the program’s illustrious history as a Mountaineer. She was known by both coaches and teammates for setting a good example by competing fiercely and encouraging others around her. As a student-athlete, she developed virtues like perseverance, teamwork, and accountability that would later serve as the cornerstone of her national service.
Green made the incredible choice to enlist in the US Army after her time playing collegiate basketball. When a rocket-propelled grenade hit her Humvee in 2004 while she was serving in Iraq, she suffered injuries that would change her life. She received the Purple Heart because of the injuries that caused her to lose her left arm. Such a moment may have signaled the end of many people’s aspirations in life. For Danielle Green, it was the start of a new chapter characterized by hope, purpose, and resiliency.
Instead of withdrawing from society, Green became a strong supporter of disabled people and injured veterans. She has devoted her life to helping others, using her position to encourage inclusivity, inspire others, and increase awareness. Her work with veteran communities and her ongoing support of adaptive sports and rehabilitation initiatives have transformed lives and challenged preconceived notions about power, ability, and recuperation.
The Pat Tillman Award for Service is given to people who best represent the legacy of Pat Tillman, another athlete who became a soldier and whose life demonstrated remarkable commitment and character. The choice of Danielle Green as this year’s honoree is appropriate and significant. Her path reflects Tillman’s principles: selflessness, bravery in the face of difficulty, and an unwavering dedication to changing the world.
Green’s distinction is a source of great pride for West Virginia University and the whole Mountaineer community. She is the epitome of the Mountaineer spirit—a real fighter whose influence extends well beyond athletics. Danielle Green’s tale is one of leadership, empathy, and unwavering fortitude in addition to survival. By recognizing her, the ESPYs serve as a reminder to the world that genuine victors are characterized by their service to others rather than their personal accomplishments.