Two Los Angeles firefighters honored with Pat Tillman Award at ESPYs

CBS News

17-07-2025

Two Los Angeles-area firefighters were honored at the ESPYs Awards on Wednesday night, receiving the Pat Tillman Award for Service for their response to the devastating January wildfires.
David Walters, a Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter, and Erin Regan, with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, were given their awards by actress Angela Bassett in front of a packed Dolby Theatre, recognized for their dedication to their community.
Following an emotional montage of footage from the Palisades and Eaton fires, along with some commentary from the two first responders, the entire theater stood to applaud the pair as they walked towards the stage.
"On behalf of the many firefighters from LA City and LA County who stood shoulder to shoulder during the fires, thank you to ESPN and the Pat Tillman Foundation," Walter said after accepting his award. "Erin and I are honored to stand here, not for ourselves, but for all the men and women who put duty above all else in these critical days meeting the moment with skill and strength."
"To echo what David said, no one fights fires of this magnitude by themselves, so we recognize that this is not an individual award. It's a team award and we are proud to be representatives of our respective departments and every single firefighter that was out there in January," Regan said, also addressing the crowd.
The award is annually given "to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman," said a news release from ESPN, shared when the recipients were announced in June. "Both Walters and Regan were on the front lines battling extreme winds and fire behavior while tragically losing colleagues and working tirelessly to defend their city in one of the most devastating fires in Los Angeles history."
Walters joined LAFD nearly a decade ago, only after establishing himself as an all-time Olympian. He is a world-record holder in the men's 4x200-meter relay, along with Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Ricky Beren for their performance at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships and a gold medalist as part of the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"An Olympic gold medalist and former world-record holder, David brought that same grit and dedication to the front lines during California's wildfire crisis in January," said a post on Facebook from LAFD. "We are incredibly proud of Firefighter Walters."
Regan was a goalkeeper for the women's soccer team at Wake Forest University, where she set several school records on her way to first-team All-ACC honors. She then played professionally in the Women's United Soccer Association, playing in the Founder's Cup before joining LA County Fire in 2008. While there, she has used her passion to help co-found the Girls Fire Camp and the Women's Fire Prep Academy.
"The County of Los Angeles Fire Department is incredibly proud of Fire Fighter Erin Regan and congratulates her on being selected as the recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2025 ESPY Awards," said a statement from LACoFD. "Erin exemplifies the spirit of service, teamwork, and commitment both on and off the field. Her dedication to the community and public safety reflects the very best of our Department. We express our gratitude to ESPN and the ESPYs for this recognition."