What is a Hero?
 

Today, I read a news story about a transit bus driver in Buffalo, New York who saw a house on fire. He stopped his bus, ran to the house and pounded on the door. 10 people escaped the flames as a result. They are called the guy a "Hero."

One dictionary defines a hero this way: a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage

Now, I realize what the guy did is admirable. But, is he a hero? Isn't what he did expected of all of us? Isn't it just good citizenry?

My point here is that I think we are assigning the title "HERO" to far too many actions that are not heroic.

So, who is a hero?

I work along side them everyday, all our Soldiers, Airman, Sailors and Marines.
Nuff said.

Army Guy

My Heros

"I wish daddy was here." I searched the pool at our development to see the source of the little lipsy, sad voice. I saw him in the shallow end tracing the surface of the water with his tiny hand holding a frogman plastic figure.

A tall slender browned haired woman carrying a second younger child was slowly pushing through the water making her way to him. "You know he's fighting the bad guys buddy in the desert."

"And in the forest," he said moving closer to his mommy. I made my way to the steps in the shallow end to listen to this exchange. "No, just the desert. You remember don't you Tommy. He's fighting the bad guys to keep us safe like Superman."

Our eyes met and Tommy's mom smiled and said her husband, his daddy, was deployed. She said it was hard for her young son to understand that he's in Afghanistan. It is an everyday, many times a day conversation I have when I'm at my house near Ft. Bragg and Pope Air Force Base in NC.

"My daddy's a super hero," Tommy said grinning a gapped beaming smile at me.

With tears in my eyes, I smiled back and splashed his little chest with water. "I don't even know your daddy Tommy, but he's my super hero too."

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.


When one reads Senator John McCain’s novel Why Courage Matters, McCain tells the story of Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez. Sergeant Benavidez went on a rescue mission to save wounded brothers; he was the only man to go. Carrying only a knife and a medic bag, he ran to his wounded buddies, sustaining gunshot wounds to his leg, face and head. A helicopter landed to rescue all of the men that were stranded. Benavidez got them all on board the helicopter only for the pilot to be fatally wounded, causing the chopper to crash.

He rescued all of the men from the crash and fought off the Vietnamese Army for six hours with the help of air strikes, circling gun ships, and his own fortitude. A second chopper landed and he boarded his wounded comrades, then he got on and then collapsed. Everyone thought he was dead, placing him in a body bag. While the doctor was zipping up the bag, Benavidez spat in his face to signal he was alive. They flew him to Saigon for surgery, treating him for seven severe gunshot wounds, twenty-eight shrapnel wounds, and bayonet wounds in both arms.

When he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Ronald Reagan, Benavidez said “I don’t like to be called a hero. The real heroes are the ones who gave their lives for their country.” Such humility and modesty from Sergeant Benavidez is really representative of heroes because they never want the credit.

A hero is a person who steps up to perform a duty that is dangerous, difficult, and to many, frightening or abhorrent. A hero does this without thought of compensation or praise. A hero is motivated to risk himself/herself due to innate compassion or taught morals and he does it for the greater good.

And TalkHost...the man who pounded on the door did what most people would expect, if he entered the house than in my view, he would be a hero.

agree
 

also police and fire personnel (want to be politically correct), teachers, and actually all of us because I think we all do something heroic everyday we just don't realize it, it doesn't take something big to be a hero in the eyes of a child or a neighbor in need

That is my opinion, too. If he heard screams and risked his life by entering and really saved lives he is a real hero.

People....there is a difference between being a good role model and being a hero.

The 343 FDNY firefighters who died on 9-11, for sure!

I believe that they throw that word "hero" out there too nonchalantly.

I think the word is used too easily now, also. Probably because in this age of "don't get involved" people, it is so surprising and heartwarming when someone does.

A few years ago, a guy rescued a stranger who had fallen in front of a NY City Subway train. He jumped off the platform and pinned the stranger between the tracks & the train passed directly over them. Now that's a HERO!!!

I agree. Too many people pat themselves or their profession on their backs.

Heroes are easy to find. Just walk through Arlington cemetery, the brick walk at the Marine Corp Museum at Quantico with a name of those who gave their life on every brick so we have our freedom, and the many other fallen soldiers who have died so we may live free. Some probably didn't do much but show up at the wrong place at the wrong time, and some did what Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez did and more. But they gave the ultimate sacrifice, their life, so we could enjoy the freedom we have today. Many made it home safe and sound to enjoy those freedoms they fought to protect. Those who serve in all our service branches are my heroes.

There was usually a price to pay for being a hero in Literature.
 

Just think of all the heroes from the various Classics whose heroic acts resulted in misfortune. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragic_hero

What is a Hero
 

Recently I was told about a young Firefighter that was called to a scene of a horrible accident. A head on collision and one of the victims was pinned behind the wheel of the car which was in a ditch. Without thinking he ran to the car and grabbed hold of the door and ripped it off. The man was some what mangled with broken bones which required the firefighter to be very careful getting him out. After warning him of the pain he was about to feel he pulled the man to safety. When
ask later how it felt to be a "hero" he laughed and said "that's my job and that's what I was meant to do"!
Well...that's my son and he is my hero.:super: Knowing what a good man he has become reassures me at my lowest point that I did the job I was meant to do also.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!!