Zara Boiarski
Period 8
Hero Essay
September 30, 2015
Word Count: 407
Hero Essay A hero is a person who is admired for his or her qualities or achievements. Heroes are brave and influential figures who perform selfless deeds to help others. These role models give everything and expect nothing in return. An extraordinary hero named Irena Sendler was an important individual who has left a positive effect on the world. The way Irena Sendler lived her life will be remembered throughout history.
Irena Sendler grew up in Otwock, Poland, although she was born in Warsaw, Poland on February 15, 1910. Irena’s father raised her to love and respect people with no regard for ethnicity, religion, or social status. Irena’s father died in 1917, while trying
…show more content…
When the Germans began to invade Warsaw in 1939, Irena was appalled by the Jews’ situation, and became inspired to join the Zegota, an underground council of aid for the Jews. As Irena was a Polish social worker, she was able to receive a pass to enter the Warsaw ghetto from the Warsaw Epidemic Control Department. When she saw the lurid scene, Irena knew that she had to do something to help these people. She began smuggling Jewish children out of Warsaw in Ambulances, Sendler recruited the help of other social workers to help her save the children. With the help of her new recruits, Irena managed to save about 2,500 Jewish children and provide them temporary identities. Jewish children were smuggled in many different ways. The children were placed in orphanages, temporary homes or in convents, and Irena kept the only record of the children 's true identities inside jars buried in a neighbor 's backyard under a large apple tree. The Nazis became aware of Irena’s actions on October 20, 1943, and Irena was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to death by the Gestapo. Thankfully, she was saved by members of Zegota who bribed the Nazis into letting Irena go. After the war Irena reunited all 2,500 children with any living family members using the jars beneath the apple tree.
A hero is someone who will give up everything even his or her safety and well being to help others. Irena Sendler was certainly an example of a prominent hero who has influenced many people with her actions. Irena Sendler will be remembered for centuries to come for her selfless