What Makes Heroes

 

Daniel R. Castro

 

Daniel R. Castro is the author of Critical Choices that Change Lives, How Heroes Turn Tragedy into Triumph (Beartooth Press, September 11, 2005). Available at all bookstores, and at <www.dancastro.com>.

As the fourth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the spin doctors and politicians will be beating us over the head with questions, such as how to prevent terrorist attacks in the future, who was truly responsible, and whether we should have gone to war over it.

But maybe the fourth anniversary of 9/11 should prompt us to pause, just for a moment, in honor of those who died that day, and contemplate the bigger questions of life. Did the events of 9/11 do anything to change how we look at life? Did it do anything to change what we value as a society? Did it change whom we look up to?

We are a society of hero worshipers. But we have had a dearth of heroes in the recent years. Most of our leaders, superstar athletes, movie starts, CEOs, presidents and senators have left us disappointed, frustrated, and disillusioned.

These days we have to look beyond the glitz of Hollywood, the weak excuses of superstar athletes, and the “spin” of politicians and CEOs to find the true heroes. What is it, historically, that has set true heroes apart from the rest of the world? Who are the people we truly admire? Who are the people we want our children to be like?

Historical research shows that heroes have consistently followed the same set of principles over the last several thousand years without even knowing it. They have left us a well-worn trail to follow by their examples. Each of them, as individual role models, have joined together to form one giant, universal role model.

Were there any true heroes on September 11, 2001? Of course there were. There was no single, Hollywood style Spider Man type hero who was able to “save the day.” No one was able to stop the attacks on the World Trade Center. The true heroes were those who saw a purpose bigger than themselves in the heat of the moment, when the natural instinct was for self-preservation. The firemen who ran into the burning World Trade Center, not knowing whether they would even be able to save anyone, saw something that others could not see. Of course they saw the fire. Of course they saw the danger to themselves. But they saw something else as well.

No matter what is going on, no matter how deadly serious the emergency, somehow our true heroes are able to see something in the world around them that the rest of us don’t.

What would cause the chaplain of the New York City Fire Department, Father Mychal Judge, to pause for a moment while the fire blazed and huge metal objects fell all around him, just so he could administer “last rights” for a fallen comrade?

What would cause Jeremy Glick, Todd Beamer, and Tom Burnett, Jr., without any training, weapons or military skills, to try to take back the plane that had been kidnapped by terrorists?

When the U.S. decided to retaliate against the terrorists, a professional football player named Pat Tillman gave up a $3 million salary to answer the call to arms. He later fought and died on a special mission in Afghanistan. Why would he give up what every high school football player in America dreams of?

Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and genders. Just last year, in Belsan, Russia, a young 17-year-old girl knowingly ran into a gymnasium crowded with terrorists holding automatic weapons and bombs while other children ran to safety. Why? Because she saw something others could not see. Her little brother was in there with a withered leg. Over the next three days, the terrorists made them all strip down to their underwear, denied them food and water, and made them drink their own urine. After three days of suffering, a bomb suddenly exploded without warning, and the Russian military stormed the building. Karina grabbed her little brother under his arm and half-dragged, half-carried him to safety. They crawled through a window of broken glass where Russian police whisked them away. What would cause little Karina to run toward a group of armed terrorists while other children were running toward safety? She saw what heroes over the last several thousand years could see. She saw what most people don’t.

So, what is it that heroes can see that the rest of us don’t? Heroes have an uncanny ability to look beyond the crisis of the moment and see a purpose so big and all encompassing that they forget, momentarily, about everything else, everything--including their own interests. These are the types of people who have always been our heroes consistently over the last several thousand years. These are the types of heroes we need more of today.

We can now clone animals, and we may even be able to clone human beings soon. But we can’t clone character and integrity and the kind of selflessness that makes up the heart and souls of heroes. So, where will our future heroes come from? They will come from within. When we learn to see through the eyes of heroes, we will see the kinds of things heroes see. We will be able to walk where heroes walk, and we will be able to act as heroes act. But first, it takes a decision. The decision behind the decision is to focus on a purpose bigger than ourselves.     *

“Do something every day that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.” –Mark Twain