L.A. County Firefighters to Receive Pat Tillman Award at 2025 ESPYS

At the Pat Tillman Foundation, our mission is to empower individuals who dedicate their lives to service and leadership. That’s why we’re so excited to see Los Angeles County firefighters David Walters and Erin Regan honored with this year’s Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2025 ESPY Awards.

Presented annually at the ESPYs, the Pat Tillman Award for Service is a special honor given to individuals with deep ties to sports who have served others in a way that echoes the legacy of Pat Tillman. Past recipients include Israel Del Toro (2017), Kristie Ennis (2019), Marcus Rashford (2021) and the Buffalo Bills training staff (2023).

David and Erin embody that spirit in every way. David, an Olympic gold medalist swimmer and world record holder, channeled his competitive drive and teamwork into nearly a decade of service with the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Erin, a former collegiate and professional soccer goalkeeper, has dedicated herself to public safety with the Los Angeles County Fire Department while also championing greater female representation in firefighting through programs she helped launch.

In January 2025, as Southern California battled one of its most destructive wildfire seasons, David and Erin were among the 7,500 emergency personnel on the frontlines, facing extreme conditions and personal loss to protect their communities. Their bravery and commitment during this crisis are a powerful example of service beyond self.

The Pat Tillman Foundation is proud to partner with ESPN to select this year’s recipient, and several of our Tillman Scholars will be in attendance to support David and Erin.

Be sure to watch the ESPYs live on ABC on July 16, 2025! To learn more about David and Erin, check out coverage from the Los Angeles Times, CBS, Swimming World, ABC and ESPN.

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