Description: In 2003, Pat Tillman, serving in the US Army, hastily wrote a just in case letter to his wife, Marie. When he returned on leave before his departure to Afghanistan, he placed the letter on top of their bedroom dresser. For months it sat there, sealed and ever-present, like a black hole through which Marie knew her stable life would be pulled if she ever had reason to open it. Then, in April 2004, Marie's worst nightmare came true. In the days following Pat's death, it was his letter that kept her going-and more than that-it was his words that would help her learn to navigate a world she could no longer share with her husband. In The Letter, Marie talks for the first time about her journey to remake her life after Pat's death. Filled with the lessons Marie learned and the wisdom she gained, The Letter is both a heart rending love story and an inspiring tale for anyone, young or old, whose life has taken an unexpected hard turn and who struggles to get back on the right path.
Brief description:
Marie Tillman is the president and cofounder of the Pat Tillman Foundation. In 2008 she led the development of the foundation's primary initiative, the Tillman Military Scholars program, which aims to create the next generation of leaders by helping a select group of veterans, active service members, and their spouses fulfill their academic dreams. She has been a featured speaker at the US Air Force Academy Center for Character Development, University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, National Conference for College Women Student Leaders, Harvard Kennedy School, and Clinton Global Initiative University. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Joe, and their four boys Joey, Johnny, Sam, and Mac.
Review Quotes:
Marie Tillman's moving memoir, The Letter, is a story of profound courage. It takes courage to walk out into the unknown to reclaim one's life after a tragedy. It takes courage to live in a public way with such private pain. And it takes courage to share one's journey with an open heart knowing that it will bring comfort and connection to others. Marie's courageous example will inspire so many to recognize their own power to be architects of change.
-- "Maria Shriver"