How Ive Shapd My Understanding of Heroes
By: Julia Boyd
Often times when someone thinks of a hero, their immediate
thought goes to evil villains, tight spandex and supernatural
powers. The media has glorified these fictional characters to
portray the model of moral and ethical behavior by depicting
their good deeds and notable achievements.
While these characters are indeed good role models to look up
to, I found that there were much more influential people in our
society than the ones in our imagination. To be a hero means to
be brave, courageous, and admirable. Through many different
influences, beliefs and instances, I have found that our men and
women that risk their lives, save others and show an immense
amount of courage day by day fits the definition of a hero much
better than any Superman.
Ever since I was little, I have been an avid listener of the news. My dad convinced me that
being up to date with current events would make me better-rounded as a citizen of the
country and as an individual. Whether it was CNN or The Daily Show, I always made sure
I was in the know.
4.
I was 4 when the terrible events of 9-11 took place. The
terrorist group al-Qaeda attacked the World Trade Center and killed
thousands of American citizens, leaving the countries land and
morale in ruins. While this was a horrendous tragedy in American
history, this event highlighted the citizens who were brave enough
to risk their own lives to save and rescue others. Firefighters,
Policemen and common businessmen showed courage and bravery
far beyond what should be expected of a hero.
On December 14th, 2012 I remember sitting in World History my
sophomore year and first hearing about the Sandy Hook
shootings. A man dressed in all black broke into Sandy Hook
Elementary school and killed 27 people, including 20 children. The
violent act shocked the country and devastated many of the
friends and families of the victims. Many more lives could have
been taken away if it hadn’t been for the heroes that sacrificed
themselves for the students. This included a custodian who yelled
of danger through the halls, a worker who warned the building
over the intercom, and many others.
It doesn’t take risking your life to be seen as a hero. When I was 8, I remember
walking into the kitchen to see my brother seizing on the ground. His blank
expression, cold blue lips and violent shaking left me in a numb state of shock. I
eventually mustered up the strength to scream loud enough for my dad to run in
and take action. The paramedics came and took him to the E.R, and later
diagnosed him with Epilepsy. Now, ten years later, I have seen the amazing amount
of effort, skill and bravery the medics have put into helping fix his condition
One of my biggest role models in my life is my
uncle Kemper. He has been in the military for 25
years now and has been on a wide variety of
different tours and missions. He repeatedly puts
forth all of his strength and effort into
protecting his country and asks for now
recognition or praise when he is finished doing
so. For me, it takes being humble and honest to
make a true hero and Kemper can proudly live
up to that title.
My last influence has been by two individuals
that have shaped my life tremendously, Christine
and Eddie. Christine is a close friend and coworker, and before she moved back into the
country she worked for two years in Macedonia
as a member of the Peace Corps. She’s told me
many stories of her part in helping the towns
children cook, learn and sing. My other model is
Eddie, my dads best friend. Eddie owns a nonprofit organization called Eddies Club that helps
kids with special needs adapt and grow in a safe
and fun environment. I have been a volunteer for
three years and I’ve seen these children live up to
their full potential and play in a place where they
feel excepted. He impact Eddie has had on the
thousands of families is truly a heroic thing to
witness.
My experiences and personal influences have shown me what it means to be
brave, courageous and admirable. In the end, I don’t need any fictional characters
to look up to because I have my own heroes’ right by my side.