Contrary to the bevy of Marvel and DC movies that have seemed to explode in popularity over the past few years, heroes don’t always wear capes. In fact, real heroes can be seen on any given day, and in just about all walks of life. They wear camouflage, badges, helmets, and yes, even suits and ties. The real question is: What constitutes a real hero?
For starters, a real hero can be a man or a woman, and can be of any ethnicity. They can be a soldier who volunteered in a time of war, a firefighter who willingly runs into a burning building, or a school teacher who makes a significant difference in a certain child’s life. A single mom who works all week and raises multiple children is a hero. The point is, heroes are not always as glamorous as one might think.
Sometimes, it takes a catastrophic event for true heroes to emerge. Take the Richert family in Houston, Texas for example, who selflessly took 11 people, six dogs, and one cat into their home after Hurricane Harvey devastated the area. These people decided to open up their home to complete strangers in the face of tragedy simply out of the kindness of their hearts.
Then there’s 46-year-old Brad Sugars, who stayed with first responders on the night of the tragic Las Vegas mass shooting to hand out first aid kits while many others left the scene. Most people in his situation would have heard the gunfire and kept running, and understandably so, yet this man decided to stay and help in any way he could. If that’s not a hero, I’m not sure what a hero is.
Heroes can sometimes emerge from virtually out of nowhere. Often times, a hero doesn’t even know they have heroic potential until placed in a situation which calls for one. That’s the beauty of the whole “hero” concept. Society often has a specific image of what a hero looks like: a soldier, a cop, a professional athlete, but the reality of it goes much deeper than that.
The truth of the matter is, a hero is simply a matter of bravery in a circumstance. They can be men, women, or children. They can be your neighbors or a member of your own family. Ultimately, a real hero is anyone brave enough to make a positive change through the face of adversity. The question everyone needs to ask themselves during these trying times in our country is this: When a situation arises where I can be a hero, will I answer the call?
