In June 2012, in the dust of Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, the United States lost a highly decorated hero. But the New York Giants lost something too, a lifelong “super fan.” This soldier had carried his team across five deployments to Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He even had a custom rug with the Giants logo to make the quarters in the brutal war zone feel like home. Right before he passed he got to witness one of the happiest days of his life. The day the Giants clinched the Super Bowl. Fourteen years late but finally, the Giants are showing their love right back. 

The franchise plans to honor Army Major Paul C. Voelke on April 23, 2026. During the first night of the 90th annual NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, the Giants will break away from the tradition of the commissioner or the team staff making the announcement. They have invited Paul’s family to reveal their first round pick. 

Late Major Paul Voelke’s spouse, Traci Voelke, and their two sons, Second Lieutenant Andrew Voelke and Benjamin Voelke, will take the draft stage to announce the first-round pick. It will be a proud and meaningful moment for the Voelke family, considering the late Major and his sons’ strong fandom of the Giants. 

“Our dad was a Giants super fan his whole life and passed down that fandom to our family,” said his son, Benjamin. “It is a privilege to honor our father and represent the New York Giants at the NFL Draft this year.”

For Paul, though, the fandom started early, and it ran deep. His stepfather, Richard Griffenkranz, introduced Paul to the Giants after stepping in as a featured figure when Paul was just six years old. He lost his father when he was at the tender age of six. His stepfather grew up in the Bronx. After attending a few games with a neighbor, who held season tickets, Richard Griffenkranz became a devoted fan of the franchise, a bond he would later on pass to his own sons. And the connection carried on through his final deployment too. 

In January 2012, Major Paul Voelke went to Afghanistan for a nine-month deployment. The following month, the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots in their Super Bowl rematch. It marked the franchise’s second Super Bowl win in five years. Although it was a celebratory moment for the Giants fan, he was pretty far away from his family.

“He deployed for the last time in January 2012; the Giants won the Super Bowl that year. While we were sad we couldn’t watch it together, we were so happy the Giants won, and Paul got to see it. He died just a few months later,” Traci explained.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be his last deployment. On June 22, 2012, while serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, an accident involving a mine-protected vehicle in Mazar-e-Sharif led to his fatal injuries. He ultimately succumbed to the injuries. When Paul died, he was only 36 years old. Paul received the Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Meritorious Service Medal, becoming a highly decorated officer. But beyond the decorations and deployments, Paul’s legacy lives on in the people he left behind. 

Paul Voelke’s legacy lives on with his family

Since 2012, the Volke family has been closely connected with the Tragedy Assistance Program for survivors. It’s an organization that’s dedicated to supporting the families of fallen service members. Traci, his wife, ended up becoming a trained peer mentor, helping others navigate through this grief. And their sons Andrew and Benjamin attended Good Grief Camp, where they found a community full of children who shared a similar loss. Today they carry the legacy of Paul in powerful ways. 

Andrew is following his father’s footsteps not only as a Giants fan but also as an army officer. Following his graduation from his university’s ROTC program, he was commissioned as an Army infantry officer last year. As for Benjamin, he is a sophomore pursuing a degree in political science. Tracie Voelke is an attorney working as the chief of client services for the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at Fort Belvoir.

Fourteen years later, the loss is grave, but so is the pride. And Paul would have been proud to see how well they have grown. He would also be happy to see the Giants honoring him 14 years after his death with a chance to take the stage during the first day of the NFL Draft.