Football great to visit Eglin, speak on resiliency

  • Published
  • By Lois Walsh
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --   Football legend Herschel Walker is making a special trip here March 22 to talk to Team Eglin personnel about overcoming life's challenges.

"The former three-time All American and Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Georgia will speak to Airmen about being resilient," said Col. Colin Miller, 46th Test Wing commander.

While most remember him for his exceptional athletic accomplishments, Walker is focused on using his life experiences to help others.

"God doesn't really care about me scoring touchdowns, God doesn't care about football," Walker said. "I want to help people."

Walker is a strong proponent of resiliency, having suffered from his own mental health issues most of his life. He is an advocate for individuals seeking help, a philosophy he shares during his speaking tours. He visits military installations and shares his personal story and experience with mental illness while delivering an important message to the troops.

"There is no shame in asking for help, I did," said the football legend.

Walker is scheduled to appear at two meet-and-greet events here in Hangar 103, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The talks are open to the base population.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for our Airmen to hear the story of how a superb athlete overcame adversity," Miller said. "Despite the acclaim he won as a football legend, Olympian and a successful businessman, Herschel Walker turned to professionals to deal with his problems. That's the message he wants to impart to our Airmen, the human spirit can overcome adversity and there is help available for anyone who needs it."

Capt. Garrett Knowlan, 413th Flight Test Squadron, the point of contact for the visit, said having an athlete like Walker speak to the wing and the base population gives them the message that there's no shame in asking for help.

"His story is remarkable," Knowlan said. "Anyone who knows sports from Walker's time in the NCAA, the NFL or mixed martial arts knows his story. The fact he's accomplished so much with dissociative identity disorder is incredible."

Knowlan said Walker's story is encouraging and challenging to anyone who hears it. He's looking forward to hearing Walker speak.

"I think Herschel Walker's story is one we're all interested in hearing and one that will be extremely compelling and encouraging. It's one thing to talk about resilience; it's another to experience it through the exceptional life story of someone who's truly lived it," he said.