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
COURAGE
PABLO S My everyday hero was my father. He was diagnosed with Islet Cell Cancer in the pancreas in 2009 and his fight lasted only nine short months. In those nine months he prepared me for life after he was gone, he helped me figure out who should walk me down the isle, he reminded me he'd be watching over me the day I...
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DETERMINATION
TOM B My dad was the third of three children. Born almost exactly 9 months after World War II ended, he was one of the first baby boomers. My dad put himself through college, volunteered for the army and fought in the Vietnam War. He started multiple multi-million dollar companies, ran for senator, spent 7 years on the...
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LOVE
KATHLEEN (KAT) F My hero is my oldest and best friend, Kat. I met her when I was 17, I am now 40. I never had a real family having alcoholic parents and no siblings. Kat took me into hers. I care for her as the sister I always wanted and I know without her, I would not be here. I have been unemployed since Sept. and only make...
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LOVE
KIM N Kim Norton is my husband. I met him at a cancer benefit dance in November of 1996, for my terminally ill sister, Sheri Cole, who had colon cancer. Sheri was only 27 years old when she was diagnosed with colon cancer and she and I were always extremely close. At the time of the benefit dance, I was a single mother...
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EQUALITY
OUR VALUES IN QUESTION New York's Foundry Theater is making a new theater piece about "Value" - in all its poetic iterations: quantitatively through our relations to money and qualitatively by asking what we hold dear. "Asking" is the operative word since the play is actually constructed of questions, posed by 3 performers to audience...
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HARD WORK
COLIN P Colin Powell grew up in the Bronx. He ended up going to college where he found his true calling in the the U.S. Army. In time, he became the first Black man to become Staff Chief of Joints and Secretary of State. Nobody in his family thought he would amount to much because of his attitude, but he proved them wrong.
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HELPING OTHERS
CHARLES J Charles "CJ" Johnson, North Dallas High School grad from the Class of 1988, and for the past 15 years, a security guard. He has my vote for angel, Superman, and hero. Just a few of the reasons: * CJ began and is the sponsor of the three culture clubs at North Dallas: the African American , Asian American,...
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BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
IN MY BLOOD My dreams are influenced by my older cousin Justin Peebles. He plays basketball and is really popular. He has even been on the news and in the newspaper. When I saw him in the newspaper my dad pointed at his last name Peebles, and said that I have his talent in my blood. So if he can do it, so can I. At practice...
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LOVE
DAVID B My father has been my Hero for all my life! He has most, if not all, of the good values this organization represents! As a boy I couldn't ask for a better father. He tried his best to teach me all the most important values, like Loving, Helping Others, Kindness, Honestly, Loyalty, Trust, Inspiration, Getting...
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APPRECIATION
PATRICK R My everyday hero is my father. He is a minister and a teacher, and unfortunately suffers from Congestive Heart Failure and is in the process of being added to the list for a heart transplant. I am thankful for every piece of advice and guidance he's given and continues to give me in life, he is a great hero.
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PERSEVERANCE
VANGIE S My Mother is my hero. As a child, she and her family worked as migrant farm workers. My mother worked hard to make a better life for herself and her family. She raised four children with lots of love and support and taught us all to be compassionate by example.
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CLASS AND GRACE
BILL D Bill D. was an amazing teacher, mentor, and friend to so many. After serving in the military, he "retired" to become a professional, working with leaders and employees encouraging them to be their very best. Everyday, I still hear Bill imparting some word of wisdom or anecdote that stops and makes you think. He...
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TEACHING BY EXAMPLE
BILL W Started AA in 1935. He took a risk and asked for help from another alcoholic. In doing so, got sober and helped millions of others.
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
ESTHER J My story is an inspiring story about a woman who has partaken in several roles, throughout her life. She has been a mother, a leader, a grandmother, and an amazing example of how to be a 'strong' not only person, but woman. My grandmother stepped in to take care of my brother and I when I was in the fifth grade....
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COURAGE
AL P My hero is my unrelated uncle, Al. He suffered cancer two times and died in 2006. Before he died, he gave me a bear and I will always remember him.
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ENCOURAGEMENT
BLOOD DONATION I had gone to donate blood for an emergency surgery. The person who called me asking for blood was actually a friend of the patient. He told me that he was having a very tough time in getting donors as the blood group was a rare type. Later, he confessed that he has never given blood and on seeing the need, he...
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CARING
STRANGER IN AIRPORT NEEDING SOMEONE In 2000, I was in the Tallahassee, Florida airport waiting to fly to Indiana to see my folks. My flight had been delayed and I was in a grumpy mood. I was restless and walking around when I heard this woman crying so hard she could barely sit up in the chair she was sitting in. I looked around and did not see...
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COURAGE
ZACHARY H My hero is my brother Zachary. He is 18 years old. He is my hero because he always stands up for me. He does not like to let me out of arm's reach. It can be annoying, but I know he just tries to protect me. I know he will always be there when I need him. I am his only sister.
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RISING ABOVE
BRYAN R My hero is my pastor, Bryan, for a thousand, even a million reasons. I grew a huge gain of confidence, motivation, and inspiration from Bryan when I thought I was one of those people who couldn't have any after very hard times in life. He motivates to change the world, he cares deeply for the well-being of our...
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HARD WORK
HAYDEE A MY MOTHER IS MY HERO, BECAUSE SHE WORKED VERY HARD FOR THE WELL BEING OF HER THREE SONS.
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RIGHT CHOICES
THOSE WHO GIVE My heroes are the people I see everyday putting others before themselves. It really doesn't take much. When I see someone hold a door for another or give up their seat to some who really needs it, you don't have to go overboard for me and others to notice. Goodness is addictive!!
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CARING
MY BROTHER'S JOURNEY When I was about five years old we found out my big brother had cancer. Luckily, the doctors said we caught it in time and would be able to fight it. My parents, my brother and I waited for a answer for the longest nine weeks and when we saw the x-rays it said it was gone. There was no more cancer. The first day...
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LOYALTY
KATTINA At age 16, I sponsored a very poor Guatemalan child, named Kattina. I went to visit every couple years. On my first visit I met her 3-year old brother who was starving. I learned her language. I was only 19 when the mission closed, and left the family destitute. I had very little money. I set up a bank account...
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CHARACTER
ELDERLY FRIEND While working in a major discount store someone reported a naked lady in the drapery dept. I went to that area and yes, a lady 75-80 yrs old standing there naked. I promptly grabbed a blanket and covered this lady and took her to my office. She was somewhat confused but did tell me her clothing and purse were...
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HONESTY
THE CASHIER'S MISTAKE I was just at the local Sweetbay Supermarket waiting in line to check out. When my turn arrived to be served, the cashier wrung up my contact solution and I handed her a new $10 bill to pay. She held up the bill to the light and then entered an amount into the register. When the drawer opened she proceeded to...
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DETERMINATION
MARTIN K He's my father, the one I love and the one I look up to everyday. I'm 19 years old and just graduated high school, where now I know my life is just about to begin. Even though my Dad is in the U.S. Army and can't always be there for me, I know he loves me and would do anything for me. My father has been in the...
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LOVE
CHRISTOPHER W My hero is a hero for several different reasons. When I met him I was lost. I just lost my father to lung cancer and I was taking care of my three kids and my dad's mother whom was 82 yrs old, and not to mention her husband also. I started talking to a soldier in Iraq. I needed someone to talk to. He became my...
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CHARACTER
ASTRID L She wrote the stories I grew up with: Pippi Longstocking, Mio My Mio and the character I was always compared to, the precocious Emil. Astrid Lindgren was a genius in her ability to convey a simple life that was anything but simple, teaching generations of children what it meant to be good, live good and do...
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HELPING OTHERS
HELPING OTHERS In the winter of 1979 I was moving a load of meat from Colorado to New York..(I am a truck driver).It was an extremely bad winter storm and due to the road conditions I (and about 100 other trucks and autos) was stranded on the interstate (I-80). We were all sitting on the highway in the middle of the night...
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DETERMINATION
MICHELLE N My hero is my mom. She's an incredible lady with a huge heart and loves every moment of life no matter what the circumstances are of the day. I look up to her so much and I hope someday to be just like her to my kids. My mom is a true example of hard working, caring, kind, and honest. I don't know any other...
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STRENGTH
RICHARD C As one becomes more mature through life, you finally realize how much of an impact your Mom or Dad had on your life when you were younger. Well, my Dad made the largest impact - by what he did for this country and for our family. He had a lot of faults, but now I know that deep within his heart there was a lot of...
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LOYALTY
LILLIE M My Mom is my hero! She is always there for me and my family, she raised me to be a loving caring person. When I am hurting or need advice she is always there with sensible and practical advice, she is my prayer partner and without her in my life I would have been lost so many times. Teach your children to love...
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STRENGTH
HIS LAST STRENGTH Father had always been there for me since day 1. By the time I turned 16, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Docs back home referred him to a better hospital in Hawaii. Dad's relatives chipped in money for my ticket to Hawaii but during all this wait, the doctors in Hawaii said he was getting worse and had been...
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