Men of Courage 2024

Rickey Glenn Hill, born on August 15, 1956, faced significant challenges early in life. Hailing from Fort Worth, Texas, he was the son of a dedicated yet financially struggling Baptist preacher. Poverty was a constant companion for young Rickey. At the tender age of 4, he wore leg braces due to a degenerative spinal disease, which not only brought taunts from other children but also tested his Character   https://thehardesthitter.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/rickey-hill-bio/). 

Despite these obstacles, Rickey’s love for baseball burned bright. He was regarded as a batting prodigy, even with the braces on his legs. His strict father, James, who was also a pastor, discouraged him from pursuing the sport. James wanted to shield Rickey from further injuries and urged him to focus on preaching instead. The family faced eviction and had to move to Oklahoma. Along the way, they encountered a kind family who offered James a position at a local church. Rickey’s life took a turn when he discovered a group of children playing baseball. Despite the pitcher’s harassment over his disability, Rickey connected with a pitch and decided to pursue his passion for the game. His brother Robert even forged their father’s signature to allow Rickey to join the local baseball team. Although James disapproved of the deception, he ultimately recognized Rickey’s dual capabilities—both in preaching and playing baseball2 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hill_%282023_film%29).

As Rickey grew older, he became one of the top high school baseball players. However, attracting the interest of Major League Baseball scouts proved challenging. Ray, Rickey’s boss at his part-time job, remembered watching Rickey bat as a child and invited scout Red Murff to one of Rickey’s games. During the game, Rickey faced off against the bully from his youth and hit a crucial home run. Unfortunately, he tripped on a sprinkler while catching the game-winning out, resulting in a fractured ankle and severed leg tendons. The doctor declared his playing days over. Despite a failed fundraising effort, Ray stepped in to provide financial support for Rickey’s recovery. Against his father’s wishes, Rickey participated in an MLB tryout, demonstrating his unwavering determination to pursue his dream. The inspiring story of Rickey Hill’s resilience and faith is captured in the 2023 biographical sports drama film, “The Hill”, starring Dennis Quaid, Colin Ford, Joelle Carter, and Scott Glenn2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hill_%282023_film%29)3(https://www.newsunzip.com/wiki/rickey-hill/).

After retiring from baseball

due to a spine injury, Rickey Hill transitioned into coaching and continued to preach about perseverance and faith.  His journey serves as a testament to overcoming adversity and pursuing one’s dreams, both on and off the field4 (https://screenrant.com/what-happened-real-rickey-hill-after-the-hill-movie/)

 Robert is the strongest man of God I know. He is overcome so many things in his life. When he was 17, he was in a car accident that should’ve cost him his life.  Because of the accident, he has a traumatic brain injury. The doctors had told his parents that he would never be able to do anything in life. He would never go to college, drive a car again, or get married. Through sheer determination and God‘s grace, Robert has overcome every obstacle put in his way. He regained everything back to almost 100% through his hard work. He drives a car, works full-time, got his bachelor's degree in theology, and we’ve been married for 20 years and have two kids. He has daily struggles but doesn’t complain and persevere. I would love to recognize him for the true hero and Overcomer he is.  He is a testament of God‘s miraculous healing and grace He gives us every day.

Gunnery Sergeant Timothy J. Pernie, originally from Northern Michigan, grew up in the small town of Grayling. Tim joined the United States Marine Corps in 1988, during his 21 years of service he was stationed many places around the United States, overseas and aboard naval ships. Some of GySgt Pernie’s deployments took him to France, Turkey, Spain, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Somalia (Operation Restore Hope) and Iraq (Iraqi Freedom).  Additional conflicts that took place during GySgt Pernie career were: Panama (Operation Just Cause), Iraq (Operation Desert Shield) (Operation Desert Storm) (Operation Desert Fox), Sierra Leone (Operation Silver Anvil), Bosnia (Operation Provide Promise) (Operation Deny Flight), Kuwait (Operation Desert Strike), Albania (Operation Silver Wake), Serbia (Operation Allied Force), Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom). In addition to combat one of his many duties in the Marine Corps was a Black Belt, Mixed Martial Arts instructor. Tim uses this training in the civilian world to teach others self-defense and personal security awareness. In 1996 a fellow Marine shared Christ with Tim by inviting him to church in Memphis, TN. After accepting Christ, Tim and his family were transferred to Pensacola, FL. Tim’s family immediately got involved in a local church and began growing in their relationship in Christ and serving both locally and overseas. Tim had the honor of leading many short-term mission trips to India until he was arrested in 2012 for sharing the Gospel and banned from the country. Since then, the Lord has called him to many extreme places. Tim has trained the Sudanese army chaplains on the front lines. He has led teams to Costa Rica and all over Nepal. In 2015 while Tim was on a trekking mission trip to Nepal, he was within a mile of the epicenter of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, on that same trip Tim was aboard a Marine Corps Huey Helicopter being transported out of the earthquake disaster area but removed so the Huey could transport bodies, that same Huey crashed within the hour killing everyone aboard. Tim married his high school best friend Amy and they have been married for 33 years. Tim currently works in anti-terrorism around the nation as it relates to public transportation. He and his wife own a Christian Dance studio and founded a non-profit that fights human trafficking in Pensacola FL. They have 3 amazing daughters - Saje 31, Chesney 25, and Chadleigh 19. The awards Tim received while in the Marine Corps included: Humanitarian Service Medal (3) Good Conduct Medals (2) Navy / Marine Corps Commendation Medals (3) Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medals Meritorious Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal Presidential Unit Citation Iraq Campaign Medal Combat Action Ribbon (3) Sea Service Deployment Ribbons (2) Southwest Asia Service Medals (2) National Defense Service Medals Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (2) Meritorious Unit Citations Korea Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device Select Marine Corps Reserve Medal Navy Unit Citation Battle “E” Ribbon