Frederick Douglass: The Power Of Heroes

“I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” (Christopher Reeve) Heroes don’t need to a have a special feature about themselves but instead, their power is helping others instead of oneself’s. Heroes aren’t the people usually fantasized in movies they’re just normal people who risk their lives for others, do extraordinary things, and people who don’t care about themselves but others. Heroes no matter the consequences will help to benefit the needs of others. An example could be, Frederick Douglass. Douglass being a former slave, then becoming free and making the courageous decision to speak in front of others. According to a sermon about Frederick Douglass by

For example, from the story, “The Drummer boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury. It states that a young boy is in the middle of the war, but one night the colonel speaks to him giving him courage and telling him, “... many nights from tonight, many years from now, when you’re as old or far much older than me, when they ask you what you did in this awful time, you will tell them- one part humble and one part proud- “I was the drummer boy at the battle of Owl Creek... “ (SB p. 24). After hearing those words he knew that the army did depend on him and he wasn’t nothing. Yes, maybe it doesn’t seem like he is a “real” hero but to him and the colonel he is. Also another example could be, an ordinary person risking their life for others so they could live. Imagine being in the Twin Towers on 9/11 when the first plane crashed. What would you do? Would you help others or yourself? Welles Crowther didn’t hesitate going to save others instead of himself. He saved on account of 12 people. Lin Young, one out of the twelve people he saved, says that “... Without him I wouldn’t be here… unfortunately he had to lose his life to save me.” (espn.go.com) When the one of the towers fell he was lost but not forgotten by

Tristan Segers was driving his armed vehicle in Afghanistan when a bomb exploded, which caused him to lose his right leg. Though through the struggle Segers worked harder and harder. According to an article by Gale Fiege “A soldier home after losing his leg in Afghanistan” he states “Of course, the loss of a leg changed me. But it doesn’t define me or the rest of my life.” (SB p. 59). He also stated that encouraging other veterans to keep going is a great feeling. Another example is, when the attack on the Twin Towers happened people were running crazily through the streets not knowing where to go. People started running to boats or ferries trying to get off the island. Watching this over the news Vincent Ardolino (Captain Amberjack V) rushed from New Jersey to take people off the island on his boat. In an interview he stated “I was compelled… I can’t stand by and watch other people suffer.. I can take people on my boat…” He knew what he had to do in order to help other even if it put his life at risk. He also stated “... Even if I save one person that’s one person less that has to suffer and has to die.” He didn’t think twice about putting his life in danger all he thought about was others who were suffering and he couldn’t take it any longer so him and many others took suffering people on their boats to escape the dangerous island of Manhattan. Heroes aren’t the ones that you