After lifetime of bouncing back, Rocky Bleier to receive Semper Fidelis Award from Marine Corps

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(link) https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2023/05/29/pittsburgh-steelers-rocky-bleier-us-army-vietnam-marine-scholarship/stories/202305250109

If you don't know the name Rocky Bleier, then maybe you're not a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rocky Bleier has an amazing story to tell, and today's Memorial Day recognition of our military heroes is part of his story.

Grit has been a common theme throughout Rocky Bleier’s life. Whether it was recovering from gunfire and grenade wounds he suffered during the Vietnam War, running through gaps in the Steelers’ offensive line, or speaking to the younger generation, Bleier has always put his best foot forward.

A list of Bleier’s life achievements include the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, four Super Bowl rings and being one half of the Steelers’ 1976 backfield, forming the second ball-carrier duo to rush for 1,000 yards in the same season – though, if you ask Bleier, he’ll say he and Franco Harris were the first.

On Sept. 14, Bleier, who served in the United States Army, will add another achievement to his name as the ninth recipient of the Semper Fidelis Award at the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Steel City Awards Dinner at the Fairmont Hotel Downtown Pittsburgh.

“It’s a great honor to receive the Semper Fi award from the military because I know what [Semper Fidelis, latin for ‘always faithful’] means to the Marine Corps,” Bleier told the Post-Gazette. While Bleier is honored to be on the receiving end of the award, the impact of the ceremony is the greater triumph to him.

All of the proceeds raised from the sold sponsorships and tickets will go toward the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, which provides scholarships to the children of Marine Corps and Navy veterans. The fund was originally started in 1962 but has ballooned into the country’s largest and oldest military need-based scholarship program. Since its inception, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation has handed out more than 50,000 scholarships worth $185 million. The Steel City event alone has raised $3 million in the 10 years of its existence.

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Rocky Bleier is a hero on and off the field. He has always acknowledged the help and encouragement he received from Steeler team owner Art Rooney Sr. and head coach Chuck Noll to recover from his serious leg and foot injuries. He retired as a Steeler in the 1980's and continues to live in Pittsburgh, where he is loved and respected. Read more about Rocky's story in his book "Fighting Back." It's available in most public libraries, or on Amazon.