Today is Memorial Day. 

For most of us, that means a day off work and a chance to celebrate the unofficial beginning of summer with friends and family. 

There's nothing wrong with enjoying a barbecue, but few of us (myself included) have taken a few moments to think about the reason we're actually here in the first place. 

While Memorial Day has evolved into a day of fun and celebration, people in 1868 didn't take the last Monday of May off work to celebrate. They were doing the opposite, honoring the Union soldiers who perished in The Civil War. 

The gradual inclusion of parties overshadows the true meaning of this somber holiday, remembering the brave men and women who gave their lives while serving this great country to give us the amazing freedoms we are so privileged to have. 

So before you embark on whatever celebration you're wandering off to today, take a few moments to read the story of a true Hawkeye and American hero - Nile Kinnick. 

We've all recognized the surname because it's the name of Iowa football's home stadium - Kinnick Stadium. Most of you that have walked through Kinnick Stadium's iconic gates have probably rubbed the toe of Kinnick's statue that's located on the south side of the stadium. 

It's a tradition that is engraved in the minds of just about every Hawkeye fan, but the two-second rub has a way larger than life meaning. 

While Kinnick, the 1939 Heisman Trophy winner and an inaugural member of the College Football Hall of Fame, earned a pristine position in Iowa history because of his on-field achievements, his accomplishments off the field were heroic. 

Kinnick attended law school and served as an assistant football coach at Iowa for a few years after his playing days, but abandoned both careers to enlist in the Naval Air Force Reserve. He was training to become a fighter pilot, but sadly never got the chance to complete his training. 

During one of his training flights on June 2, 1943, Kinnick's plane experienced an oil leak. With his naval ship already filled with other planes, Kinnick had no choice but to attempt a water landing. The attempt was unsuccessful, resulting in Kinnick's untimely death at the age of 24. Kinnick's body and plane were never recovered. 

Iowans immediately fought to rename the then-Iowa Stadium in Kinnick's honor, but the stadium wouldn't officially be renamed Kinnick Stadium until 1972. 

Kinnick's tragic death is well-known in Iowa, but he's unfortunately far from the only person to lose their life while serving in the United States Armed Forces. According to USAFacts.org, 826 men and women died while serving our country in 2025.

While we all are living and dying with our favorite sports teams or celebrities each day, thousands of people are paying the ultimate sacrifice so we can do silly activities that mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. 

So again, before you start grilling the steaks or jumping in the pool today, take some time to remember the men and women that couldn't make it home safely to their families because they were protecting you. 

"I feel better in mind and body than I have for ten years and am quite certain I can meet the foe confident and unafraid," Kinnick wrote in his final letter to his parents in May 1943. "I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved.' Truly, we have shared to the full life, love, and laughter. Comforted in the knowledge that your thought and prayer go with us every minute, and sure that your faith and courage will never falter, no matter the outcome, I bid you au revoir." 

Looking for some cool Hawkeye swag to wear during the summer months? Look no further! HawkeyeRoundtable.com will be giving away prizes to lucky members throughout the summer and all you have to enter is follow these very easy and quick (under a minute) instructions to join. 

Click here to join the contest! 

HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]