Pat Tillman gave up millions of dollars and his life to serve his country. Now, his friend is spreading that story one step at a time.
"It's bittersweet; I mean, this has been the best eight months of my life," Rory Fanning said.
Fanning ended his cross country walk in San Diego on Friday. It started eight months and more than 3,000 miles ago in Virginia. Along the way, he's been speaking at schools, colleges and prisons. The reason for the journey: his friend.
Fanning served with Pat Tillman in Afghanistan. Tillman, an Army Ranger, was initially awarded a Silver Star after he was thought to have been killed by enemy fire, but the Pentagon eventually ruled that his death came at the hands of his comrades in a friendly-fire accident.
Fanning describes his friend as compassionate and thoughtful.
"He was able to walk away from comfort and security for the greater good," Fanning said. "He followed his heart."
Fanning is spreading the story in hopes of raising money for the Pat Tillman Foundation, which gives out scholarships to children of veterans. He said his goal is to raise the $3.6 million that Tillman gave up to serve in the military. So far, however, Fanning has only raised about $30,000.
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While the walk is over, Fanning says this is not the end of the road and that he would keep speaking and working to raise the money.
"I'm just reminding people of his amazing sacrifice," Fanning said.
