Everyday Hero Stories

Where did your values come from?

We've all had people in our lives who have made a positive impact on us. A parent or grandparent, a sibling who was there for us, or maybe even just a guy who shines shoes for a living? Whoever they are, tell us their story so they can inspire us even more.

Tell Us Your Story
GENEROSITY
KEGAN AND TAYLOR B After a very difficult divorce last year, I decided to sell my home and move closer to my parents. While I was packing, my home caught fire because of a mistake I made by placing a box too close to a heater. My children's bedrooms were the most badly damaged in the fire. They lost everything. The insurance...
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GIVING BACK
DONNA H When the transitional shelter for children opened around the block from my house, my mom wanted to help the children who were placed there. So she started a program to teach kids quilting. Not only are they able to express themselves creatively, but they are able to create something they can keep. Many of these...
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GIVING BACK
HELEN C A Helen has dedicated her life to serving humanity. She is a founding member of the Halfway House Movement, which now has six refuges across the city and of the St. Paul Area Development Corporation (SPADC), an all-volunteer, charitable organization. She is a former National "Social Worker of the Year" and Raymond...
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GIVING BACK
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS KELLY N SFC Kelly N. was one of my Drill Sergeants in Army Basic Training. As can be expected, she was extremely tough... but she also taught us recruits our place and instilled that crucial sense of discipline and respect for those superior to us. She is my hero because she taught me my true calling/place in the...
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GIVING BACK
DONALD D Don is my hero not only for the courage and faith demonstrated while he was dying of cancer, but more for the courage and faith demonstrated by his service to the Lord. He gave his all - serving the people of Haiti. He established a 24/7 emergency medical clinic treating burns, a food program feeding over 5,000...
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HELPING OTHERS
JENA S Jena is the 2005 Miss Junior National Teenager and is a sophomore in high school. She is taking her crown, sash and title and using it to teach other teens across the nation about volunteerism and how much fun it is. For six years Jena has volunteered for the American Cancer Society and has raised over $50,000 so...
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COMPASSION
STEVEN W Steve W., Rufus King High School's hero, selflessly devotes time, talent and treasure to better the school and its students. A man of deep integrity, he embodies the qualities of the National Honor Society chapter he runs: scholarship, service, leadership, character. Spending 12 hours every weekday and often...
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INTEGRITY
EMILY W I would like to nominate Emily for being a hero. She is the perfect example for a hero because she shows her Theater Arts students respect, integrity, and kindness. Mrs. W. has helped many students become not only wonderful actors and actresses but helped her public school students become role models. Mrs. Emily...
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COMMITMENT
ULYSSES C Mr. C. is a Math/Science teacher at a sixth grade center in Fort Worth, Texas. He developed a math program that has grown each year since its inception at another Elementary. He took it to a second elementary school and in 2000, he took it to his current school where he teaches the at-risk students. Mr. C. funds...
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GIVING BACK
MARY F Mary is a Search and Rescue canine handler for a federal rescue team. She has two dogs currently, Jake, a World Trade Center veteran, and Sage, a Pentagon veteran. All three of them recently returned from a 10-day deployment in the Gulf Coast zone following Hurricane Katrina. Most of the training and expenses are...
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CONFIDENCE
LAURA D Laura was my 6th grade teacher; she helped me gain my self-respect and showed me the purpose in life. I am one in hundreds she has helped and she is an uplifting person who loves you for who you are. She is my heroine and I keep her close to my heart. I visit her as much as I can because she has affected my life....
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CARING
DAVIDA W I am a 50-year old tax and corporate lawyer at a major law firm and chair its tax practice. The foundation for my better life began with Ms. W. Ms. W was my fifth grade teacher. I came from a family with a number of alcoholics and abuse. During a very delicate and important time in my life, Ms. W took me under...
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RESPECT
TERESA M My wife has taught dance for 30 years this year, she has touched 1000's of lives. By teaching kids from all walks of life, and giving them self-esteem. Teaching them about respecting themselves as well as others. She has also taken children with physical disabilities. Teaching them to do and be more than doctors...
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HELPING OTHERS
CHRIS A My husband is a hero to me and our two children. And a lot of other people. He will do anything to help others. And always thinks of himself last. He has a huge heart. We have two wonderful kids who think the world of him. We couldn't have asked for a better father and husband. He's been through a lot and his...
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SACRIFICE
AJAY A Ajay is a legend of all time. He is an eminent social worker, an engineer, painter, singer, elocutionist, administrator, business tycoon, computer professional, write, journalist, actor, sportsman and more. Can you believe it? He has donated his blood 30 times! He is not yet tired and his high ambitions in life...
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SACRIFICE
BILL G Bill has been sent overseas to Kuwait with the Navy reserves to protect troops and supplies in the war against terror. He has given up his time, family, and safety in order to help this country. He has made so many sacrifices for the right thing, and it's all worth it. When he has time that he isn't working or...
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SACRIFICE
CAROLEE H At three, Carolee was diagnosed with cancer that was considered incurable. Thinking she wouldn't live, doctors operated, but damaged muscle around her kidney. Her parents were told to make her comfortable until she died. She didn't die, but lives to this day with much pain. Expecting her third child, she was...
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SACRIFICE
MICHELE M I was in kidney failure and on dialysis for a year when a stranger replied to a posting on a living donor web site. She was 35, had four kids, a husband, and was willing to give me a kidney. We were cross-matched, and she was able to donate her kidney to me. In May of last year, we met for the first time. In...
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COMPASSION
IMELDA T My mother is my hero. She resides in a country that is well known for its poverty and diseases. Amidst all that, she is a self-sacrificing woman who, although gave birth to only one child, has looked after more than 30 children. Not in an orphanage kind of arrangement, but from her home. The care she gives is the...
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HARD WORK
MAIDA A Fourteen years ago my mom brought my brother and me to the United States from our war torn country of Bosnia. She spoke no English, had no money and was a single mom. She also has a hearing disability which she knew would make it difficult for her to learn the language. However, she wanted to provide my brother...
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SACRIFICE
REBECCA P Sacrifice: Rebecca, a woman endured an awesome sacrifice to make other women feel special. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, she contacted a church in Louisiana that was sheltering hurricane victims. She called and spoke with several women, determined to do something special for each. She got sizes and favorite...
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RIGHT CHOICES
TODD G My hero is my husband. Todd battled a 10 year addiction to crack cocaine and conquered his addiction. Now nine years crack free he spends every spare moment helping others conquer crack cocaine addiction. Not only does he give of himself to our ministry but he is an amazing daddy to our three beautiful girls, and...
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OPTIMISM
DERON B I'd like to tell you about a gentleman who had a vision. He works for a recycling company in Tucson, Arizona which puts people back to work. In his job, he saw more and more good, still useful items ending up in the landfills. He started offering these items to non-profit groups in the area for use in their...
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GIVING BACK
JOSHUA B Joshua a young Youth Leader and a 4th Year high school student of Zamboanga del Norte National High School. He often organizes activities for the benefit of the Philippine National Red Cross. He organized several Tree Planting Activities, for he believes it could help Mother Nature's security. He also has great...
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HELPING OTHERS
PATRICIA AND JOHN F I cannot nominate one of my parents without the other. Together they are amazing. They have been married for 33 years, and have been through so much. Their youngest child, and only son, was killed in a car accident at 18, even though he wasn't driving. Crohn's disease, heart disease, Burger's disease, are just a...
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RESPONSIBILITY
MICHAEL C My hero is just a simple man. Michael is the one who made a lot of sacrifice to his career since he was just 16 years old. He didn't know how to enjoy life; how to spend time with friends in those days because he had too many dreams to fulfill. He's been focused on his dreams since he was really...
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HELPING OTHERS
ROBERT F My daughter's teacher had an in-house program to teach the children about "RESPECT." Mr. F. did the program and is well known here in Nesconset, as Bobby-Dawg, A kid's best friend, the creator of Team Dawg Cartoon Characters. I think that Bobby is a true super hero around here on Long Island. Not only has he...
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RESPECT
GARY D I would like to tell you about someone who is not a hero because he is a fireman or in the National Guard, or is running a charity. The person I am writing about is an everyday hero. When I was 18, and my grandmother had just died, I needed a place to live. This man, without me having to ask, offered to let me...
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RESPECT
ABOOBACKER My hero is my father. He cares, loves, and even respects me. At times, he asks my views. He controls any situation easily with practical solutions and works hard for us. He gives us advice at the right time in right manner with utmost care.
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CHARACTER
MATTHEW H My husband Matt was the single father of three girls, all of whom have disabilities. Meghan has Down Syndrome, Molly has autism and Madeline has autism. He raised them with grace, dignity and respect for themselves and others. He undertook an enormous job and did it with love and did it well. The girls are so...
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RESPECT
PAT Q Pat is an unassuming, retired woman who has taken to helping those who live on the streets of Birmingham. Pat maintains a clothing closet at her church and spends weekends, shopping at garage sales and thrift stores for clothing that her homeless friends can use. Four days a week she can be found doing laundry...
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RESPECT
RICHARD W My parents died when I was young. Mr. W. (Dad) was a great father figure/role model. He set the bar for my character. He's always been there for me, and at times even employed me. He gave me a family and a place that I can always call home. He taught me to believe in myself. In this day and age when there are so...
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PERSEVERANCE
BARBARA S Barbara has been an exceptional educator for over 30 years. She has suffered with a physical handicap since birth and has never let that get in her way to succeed. She is an inspiration to her fellow educators and the thousands of students she has served through out her years of dedicated teaching and service. I...
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