Tillman is Bears' nominee for NFL Man of Year
Bears cornerback Charles Tillman has been named the Bears nominee for the 2008 NFL Walter Payton "Man of the Year" award. This prestigious NFL award is the only League award that recognizes a player's off-the-field community service, support and activities as well as his playing excellence. This award has been in existence since 1970 and honors NFL players who demonstrate outstanding balance in their lives between civic and professional responsibilities. In 1999, the league renamed the NFL "Man of the Year" award after Walter Payton as a tribute to his greatness both on and off the field.
All 32 finalists, one from each NFL team, will receive a $1,000 contribution toward a charity of his choice, and the overall winner will receive $25,000 to donate to his selected charity. The 2008 NFL Walter Payton "Man of the Year" winner will be announced during Commissioner Roger Goodell's news conference before Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, FL. Charles Tillman's Cornerstone Foundation has been designated as the charity that will receive the $1,000 donation in his name.
Tillman has been a consistent performer and leader on the football field since joining the Bears in 2003. Off the field, he has supported causes in Chicago and has made a tremendous impact in the lives of deserving individuals. In 2005, he established Charles Tillman's Cornerstone Foundation with the intention of helping more children in need in the Chicago area. Tillman has been nominated for this award because of his amazing display of strength, faith and perseverance in the face of a personal crisis in 2008. This is the second consecutive year that Tillman has been selected as the Bears nominee.
After his infant daughter received a lifesaving heart transplant in the summer of 2008, Tillman changed the focus of his Cornerstone Foundation from education to improving the lives of critically and chronically ill children throughout Greater Chicago by providing daily support and life changing experiences. Some of the Cornerstone Foundation's interactive programs include "Charles' Locker," "Field of Dreams" and "Mothers' Champagne Brunch."
"Charles' Locker" provides chronically and critically ill children and their families with access to notebook computers, DVD players, portable Play Station game systems, digital cameras and MP3 players while undergoing recovery and treatment.
The "Field of Dreams" program provides chronically and critically ill children and their families with magical memories by fulfilling sports-related wishes and vacation dreams.
The "Mothers' Champagne Brunch" is hosted each year to honor the mothers of chronically and critically ill children for the sacrifices they make in caring for their child.
Through the Bears "Home Team Hand-Off" ticket donation program, Charles has also purchased a block of season tickets and donated them to the Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network. The tickets are distributed to families of children who are either transplant recipients or are on the waiting list for a transplant, giving them the opportunity to experience a Bears game at Soldier Field.