When we were children we were always looking up to people like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and anyone else who inspired us. But who are our heroes now? Football stars, Olympians, our parents, inventors? A hero is someone who does something to help improve mankind or to execute the intention of helping others in difficult situations. We applaud these people because of the changes they may make in our lives. It's not just the people who make the headlines of the evening news or the front page of the paper that are heroes. Being a hero can be as simple as volunteering at the local homeless shelter or even helping an elderly individual cross a busy street.
I've never considered myself a hero until two weeks ago at Boys State when I saved a fellow camper's life. At approximately 2:30 a.m., I woke up to my friend having a seizure. I checked for his pulse, but he did not have one. If you study your surroundings in any building you can almost always find an Automated External Defibrillator, also known as an AED. Earlier that day I remembered seeing an AED in the dining hall, so when my friend wasn't responding, I started running to retrieve it. Upon returning, I administered two shocks that brought his heartbeat back. Right after I had followed the AED's instructions that helped me bring my friend back, the emergency personnel arrived. They immediately called 911 and had him taken to the local hospital. I am happy to say that my friend returned to camp the next day and made it home safely to his family at the end of the week.
The concept of a "hero" has changed drastically throughout the different generations. Today, a hero is measured by a person's character, their inner being, and their integrity no matter what their age, race, or gender may be. Whereas before, the term "hero" was a descriptive word primarily describing a male figure. No matter what kind of hero you are, doing the right thing is all that matters in the end. I would like to encourage everyone to take the time to study their surroundings when entering an unknown building; by spotting anything that could help in an emergency situation, you could save a person's life and be their hero.
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