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
WILLIAM K William Walker Fairbairne King was my step-father. He grew up in Scotland and during WWII served in the British Merchant Marines. Torpedoed by the Germans in the Northern Atlantic and shipwrecked for twenty-one days, he was rescued by the U.S. Navy. He went to the U.S., joined the U.S. Army and fought in the...
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HUMILITY
MOHANDAS G I find him to be a hero for many reasons, including his love for others, his non-violence approach, and his selflessness. He is the definition of humble. He treated everyone as being equal, no matter what. When he looked at someone, he did not see race, gender, religion, or any other factor that makes us unique;...
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
JOHN O John is a retired senior Chaplain in the Army. During his 30+ years he jumped with airborne divisions, served in war zones and suffered alongside soldiers. Now that he has retired he has not slowed down. He is almost single-handedly spearheading an effort to provide better care for the 365,000 soldiers...
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HELPING OTHERS
DAVE G No wish too large. No hero too small. Wish Upon A Hero was first conceived by founder Dave Girgenti, shortly after the September 11th attacks on New York City. From his home in NJ, Girgenti watched as thousands of people posted pictures of missing loved ones throughout the city. He thought there had to be a...
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COURAGE
ROBERT S My Dad. He was a B24 pilot, got shot down in WWII, was a POW, lived modestly, and had an outstanding work ethic. Working was his joy. He worked until he was 83 and then quit to take care of my Mom, his only true love, (married 60 years) until she succumbed to cancer. He was 85 then and at 93 years, he just keeps...
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DETERMINATION
DAD C My father is the kind of person who actually encouraged me to be easy going. I am a huge sci-fi fantasy fan and he and I have gone to conventions, played video games and always reminded me that I have someone to talk to. Unlike my mother who has not supported or understood me. I remember a time when my mother...
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LIVE YOUR DREAMS
DOLLY P Dolly Parton is my hero because she shows that no matter where you come from, as long as you have dreams and you try, you can achieve so much in life! I have never met her but the way she shows love through song and her giving I feel so close to her.She stands firm in her beliefs and always loves without...
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CARING
DAVID F David, you are my hero because you truly love your country. Even though I'm not sure how I'll do without you when you join the Marines, I see you yearning to have something to fight. I love you, big brother. You are the reason I'm still alive.
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HELPING OTHERS
MAURICE S My hero is my father. Many may think, "Well he's your father, of course he will be a hero" but he is different. He fathers other youth and helps them overcome obstacles. He mentors them when they are in need of help. He has cared for the youth in his community. He brought youth together to create a clothing drive...
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
MY FIANCE, MY DAUGHTERS SOON TO BE STEP-DAD My fiance came into my life 7 years ago. We took our relationship very slow as I had 2 young daughters to protect, then 5 and 6, and he had not even wanted to have children with his previous wife. We both had to decide if we were a good fit before we could decide if the dynamics would work. Work they have. I was...
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CARING
DONALD DRIVER Donald Driver: Why We Should All Be Green Bay Packer Fans This February By Mike A (Featured Columnist) on January 24, 2011 71 There isn't a better man in the league than Donald Driver. If I was given the ability to select one man in the history of any sport and put him into that sport's Hall of Fame, I...
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COURAGE
LARRY T In 1985, Larry rescued a girl from a life that is too hard to put into words. He was just a kid himself. Since then he has made a difference in so many lives. Larry has been a mentor and helped so many others over the years. Yes he is a decorated war veteran, but is a Hero in many ways. Larry is just an all...
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DETERMINATION
PAT N My grandmother is my everyday hero. She is a very strong person and very determined. Even now she juggles her time with seven grandkids, including myself, she always has time to do what she loves. Her past is something I will always remember. She used to be a single mom with my mother and she worked numerous...
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INSPIRATION
LOVE LAUGH LIVE WITH CANCER I am the last of six children of a very close knit family. At age 13, I watched my father endure the pain associated with stomach cancer. At that time cancer medications were not as advanced as they are today, so he experienced excruciating pain but never complained. I knew he was hurting. Whenever I entered his...
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PERSEVERANCE
JOANNIE R Joannie R. is my hero because to me, she represents what it means to be a great Canadian. She has pride in her country and isn't scared to be proud of her roots and where she came from. I believe this is a great quality for a person to have because it shows that she has values and integrity in what she does. She...
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INSPIRATION
BARACK O Barack Obama is my hero, because he has inspired me, as well as many other young people across the nation, to volunteer, to get involved in the political process, to take initiative and get things done. He has inspired me to be a public servant, to help progress this country forward.
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FRIENDSHIP
UNEXPECTED SEATING One day, I came into math a little late so my seat was taken. I could have sat in the front but instead chose to sit next to this girl who had no one to talk to. I felt bad for her so I sat next to her. The same thing happened in Science class. We started to get off topic when working in a group and got to know...
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
ROSANNA H My Nana is my hero! Nana was always there for us, even in the most difficult circumstances; she was also tirelessly there for everyone who was in need without letting anything stand in her way. During the depression Nana wound up divorced with a toddler - my mom. Nana, like everyone, lived with her family and...
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
SOCKS In addition to dropping some money into the Salvation Army pot, my friend tries to always do something different for the bell ringers each year during the holidays. Two years ago, she began bringing coffee or hot chocolate out to them. Last year, she gave them hand warmers. This year she heard about an item the...
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DETERMINATION
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!! While going through high school I did my part to figure out what I wanted to do when I finished. While telling my family, I was sent a huge reality check as I told them I wanted to join the Marine Corp. I found out that all men in my family had been in different military branches except for the Marines. I was 6...
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INCLUDING OTHERS
MARINE CORP Having served in the Marines, I have to say that my heroes are the men and women that served before me, with me, and those that continue to serve today. Not just in the Marines but in all branches of the military and other walks of life such as fire fighters, policemen, and all other service where life is on the...
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LOVE
MICHAEL J Michael Jackson is a hero because of how much he cared for his fans, for the the earth, and for....well.. everyone!! All he wanted was to make a change and make people happy. He kind of did through his music but he also visited many children's hospitals and donated almost all of his money to charity. Michael...
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RISING ABOVE
KARYL B My hero, Karyl, is someone I've met in person only once. In August 7, 1996 her only daughter, Arlyn, died by suicide. She was 18 years old. Rather than become bitter and stay withdrawn, fearful, and angry, Karyl became a warrior. In the years since Arlyn's death, Karyl (and husband, Ron) has worked...
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GIVING BACK
HOMETOWN HERO Even though they may live a short distance from the beach or the mountains, there are some children in Los Angeles and Ventura counties who have never seen them. Learning Through Doing Adventures aims to change that by offering hands-on outdoor education and recreation for these disadvantaged youth as well as...
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BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
SOMEBODY SAID Growing up in the post war years of Korea, life for me was pretty good. My Dad's work ethic and income provided us with everything we needed and most of what we wanted. But the greatest of his gifts was a "stay-at-home" mom. From Dad I learned how to whistle, work on cars, and the value of being a good team...
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INSPIRATION
MARIE P My hero is my older sister. We were a family of six [3 girls and 3 boys] growing up in the 50's and 60's. I was the youngest and of course picked on relentlessly by my older brothers. But my sister Marie always came to my rescue and was my second "mama". She always went out of her way to help others. Even after...
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CARING
PEGGY Peggy is a working mom. She has twin daughters with Cystic Fibrosis. While running a busy home, working, taking her children to doctors appointments, she is never too busy to lend a helping hand to someone in need. Yesterday her niece and three children were in need. Her niece is disabled, has no car, had no food...
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HELPING OTHERS
MR. A Coming home with 2 inches of snow and counting, my car got stuck going up a hill. I managed to pull into a driveway. The man who lived there came out to see if I was okay. I was shaken up, not sure how I was going to get home. He calmed me down and even invited me inside until I could get picked up. I decided,...
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
BELINDA H This woman grew up in a poor, but loving, family in upstate New York. When she was born they had neither electricity nor indoor plumbing. She struggled with school at times, but got by. She studied retail management in college, a field she decided she wasn't really suited for. One of her sons had learning...
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LOVE
MY MOTHER'S LAST LESSONS It all started with a text message. I was in the middle of a busy Monday afternoon when I checked my mobile phone. My brother and older sister sent a message saying that my mother passed away. It was a “death-on-arrival” situation so things happened instantly – leaving everyone around in a “shock mode”. I...
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HARD WORK
HOWARD S My dad, Howard Spurlock of WV, is my hero. Born 1927 during the depression and the second of 13 siblings all raised by a coal miner and his wife in a two room rented home that had dirt floors and no running water for a majority of their lives. My dad was in the Army for 20 years and served in the Korean and...
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LOVE
TRUE LOVE IN OKLAHOMA I met my husband 20 years ago in a grocery store. We were both in high school and we both had significant others. I knew the minute I saw him that we were supposed to be together. He had these sparkling blue eyes and such charm for 17. I ended up dating his best friend for 6 months and after we parted, I didn't...
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HELPING OTHERS
DICKEY L My hero is my father. He grew up a country boy in West Virginia and learned a lot about life through his hard work on the farm. My mother would often tell me, "You know your father can do anything, you need to pay more attention to the things he does." It was not until I was older that I realized what an amazing...
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