Definition Essay: What Does It Mean To Be A Hero

What does it mean to be a hero? Growing up watching cartoons a hero to me was someone named "Batman" who wore a cape and knocked scores of baddies unconscious; as a youth my heroes were explorers who roam the sea; and recently my heroes have become individuals who have strived for social change. All of these people and characters influenced me - I used to wear capes at the mall, I would turn refrigerator boxes into ships, and yet over the summer I came to the realization that my biggest hero had been alongside me all along - my grandmother. A hero does not need to wear a cape or fight the world, to me a hero is defined by their dedication and commitment. An individual's willingness to sacrifice personal happiness for the betterment of others

I was only 11 at the time and tried to be strong for the sake of my mother. What my mother did not know however was that the source of my strength had come from my grandmother who taught me to be strong and always assured me that the sun would rise tomorrow. It was my grandma who truly understood the gravity of the situation and at 73 picked me up from my room and took me to the police officers who had surrounded our house. It is my grandmother who as my panicked mother booked her flight out of the country held my arm and told me that everything would be alright. It is my hero who as she recovered from a heart attack would sit and watch Netflix movies filled with "heroes" such as James Bond, Jack Sparrow and Luke Skywalker with a smile. How I always wished that she knew the slightest word of English! My grandmother always came to my rescue at my times of need, silently teaching me to be strong, how to stand up when faced with injustice, never giving up, and having a laugh all along the way. Everyone has a hero who has changed them - In my case it happens to be a stout 4'10 woman with a twinkle in her eye and the determination of a lion in her