Edward H

My grandfather is a "foundation Hero" in my life and my family’s lives. He told me many, many truths and two of these I will share with you.

He said, "The most valuable gift anyone can give you is an introduction to a truly good person."

He said, "The most valuable material thing you will ever own is your name."

My grandfather dressed for dinner, forgave with grace, owned his mistakes, loved his family, his friends, his neighbors, his colleagues and his country.

He was the last of eight children. The first four of his siblings were born in Germany. The next three siblings and my grandfather were born in America. His father and mother (my great-grandfather and great-grandmother) were German immigrants who settled in Akron, Ohio. My grandfather was not a hyphenated German-American or European-American. He was an American who served his country as a soldier and, after years of study and sacrifice, as a circuit judge.

He enjoyed smoking fine cigars for years. An ash from his cigar accidentally dropped once too close to one of his four grandchildren. He never smoked again.

He was an honest practitioner of law in Akron and welcomed his son, Edward, to his practice after Edward, Jr. had spent years in night school to finish his law degree. Edward, Jr. passed his Ohio State Bar Exam with the second highest score.

My grandfather was called to the judicial bench and left his lucrative practice to serve.

His son, Edward Jr., now well into his eighties, still practices law, and mediates issues for the Ohio State Universities.

My grandfather was a thirty-second degree mason who helped countless people in countless ways. He was a prodigal (lavish) giver to the Salvation Army, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. He was a registered republican but did not judge people for their political party affiliation. He realized that bad apples find their way to both parties and it is always the good apples in either party that expose them. He swore by our Constitution and its founders. He had a relationship with God that many people aspired to copy. He was a man at peace. He is my Hero because all of the threads of his goodness clothed him in a way that was contagious and so very positive – certainly to me.

His words echo in my ear wherever I live. California, New York, Georgia, Italy, - U.C. Berkeley, Columbia University, San Francisco, NYC’s upper west side, Atlanta, Florence – were all very different places and cultures. I stayed the same. I honored my grandfather and I honored my name. I honored all of the introductions to truly good people. Sometimes I refused to fit in and by doing so I have looked back with gratitude for having been given such sound and gracious direction. I served as treasurer and then president of my college at Columbia, worked for Morgan Stanley, founded three companies, taught English in high school and have been blessed with the opportunity to be a wife to a husband with whom I fall in love every day and a mother to children whom I love every day. Without my grandfather’s example I might not understand how to appreciate such profound blessings.

His words echo in my daughter's ear, his great-granddaughter, Campbell. I told her exactly what my grandfather told me. In fact it was our yearbook tribute to her when she graduated from eighth grade. She is a graduating senior this year. We enthusiastically moved from San Francisco because Campbell’s first choice was a wonderful school in Atlanta, GA. A straight A student all her life and a person who is “normal” and funny to boot, Campbell now has a 98.7 GPA, she is president of her class of 2010, captain of her rowing team, editor in chief of the school magazine, “Embryo,” and managed to achieve scores of 800 on her SATs. I tell you this because she is the legacy of my grandfather’s heroic life, his work and his words.

My husband and I live like my grandfather did, she and her siblings live like we do. I give God and then my grandfather the praise.

Dunwreath Swanson
Atlanta, Georgia

Submitted by Anonymous


Character
Pass It On®
Pass It On®

  email

Your Comments

Here are some other inspiring stories you might like.
KINDNESS
WENDY T Wendy was my wife of 4 years. We dated in high school, over 30 years ago. Eight years ago, we reconnected, and fell in love all over again. I quickly became attuned to why she was so special: Her kindness. I had never met anyone before, who showed as much kindness to everybody, as Wendy had. It wasn't one...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
CARING
BETTY DRUCK I want to tell you about my grandmother,she is in her late 50's,she has spent everyday of her life caring for everyone she meets.She has had multiple surgeries and other problems of her own and yet she has given everything for her family,she has spent every christmas with my dad,even when she was in other...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
STRENGTH
ANDRE D On May 2, 2014 Andre' MY HUSBAND at the age of 42 suffered a massive heart attack, he was without oxygen to his brain for several minutes. It caused an Anoxic Brain Injury and other problems such as cortical blindness, seizures and he is bedridden for the rest of his life and resides in a nursing home. The...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
HELPING OTHERS
SAWYER A. After learning about children and families in the poverty-stricken villages of Zambia; a country in south-central Africa, Sawyer Anderson wanted to help bring clean, safe water to the villagers. At age 9, Sawyer wrote and illustrated the book, Water Works, which is published in America, Vietnam (in Vietnamese)...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
WISDOM
JAHSEH O There are many heros I look up to, but Jahseh Onfroy helped me through the darkest times in my life. His music did not only help me but it helped countless people. When he spoke to us, it was always about growing and becoming better than what we are. I have learned many valuable lessons from him, and I constantly...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
PEACE
DANA W Grieving (Fly High Dana Wilson Jr.) On March 7, 2022 my only little brother passed away at home in his bed. This has been one of the hardest things to deal with. I dont think a day goes by that i dont find myself breaking down crying. I think my eyes are puffy did alot of crying yesterday..omg this is really...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
LOVE
AMARA OKEKE My hero is my late mother Since 2000, she fells sick. She was diabetic, all my life I have taken care of her , I abandoned my school, my Visa and career to taken care of her , after 19 years of my sufferings she died last two Saturdays..I was actually 6 years when I started cooking, doing house chores for my...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
KINDNESS
MOTHER TERESA Mother Teresa was born in Albania and left her home country very early in life. She lived in Ireland to learn English, and ultimately went to India where she resided until her death. She was a beacon of hope for many. She did not look to caste, class, religion, skin color, or any other identity to separate...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
MENTORING
MISTY WELLS 5 Years ago Misty saw a need in children in Foster Care and she took action. For the past 5 years going strong Misty started a non profit called " A Reel Future" where she takes children in Group Foster Care fishing. She has single handed taken over 3,000 foster children fishing. She is showing them...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
CARING
TISH R My former wife is an amazing individual. She works as a behavior analyst, and has been helping injured others achieve a much greater quality of life. In one of my proudest specific memories, she facilitated a transition for a man who was in an ALF, brain-injured, from wearing diapers in a wheelchair to...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
COMPASSION
CHARLIE SCHULZ My son, Charlie, was an inspiration to many during his 19 years on this earth. When Charlie was in 5th grade, despite what we learned later was severe social anxiety, their strong sense of what was right led them to circulate petitions among their 5th grade schoolmates and write and present a statement (through...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
BEING THERE
BK SAINI SAINI My husband helped me since he knew me since 1975. He is there for me every single day. He is so kind all the time. He took care of me during any need except not when he is at the job. He comes at home if any emergency arrives. For God’s grace he was never called till today. I still remember when our second baby...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
BRAVERY
HARRIET TUBMAN Harriet Tubman freed 300 slaves she was so brave that is why she is my hero
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
LORI R. In 2012 Lori, along with her then high school age daughter Shira, began to keep their vehicle filled with pet supplies to hand out to the pets living on the streets of Riverside, CA with their homeless companions. They would give out pet food, leashes, collars and water so the pets would be fed well and kept...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
FAMILY
PAT C Next to his faith in God, the most important thing in my Dad’s life was his family; my Mom who was the love of his life, his kids, grandkids, great grandkids, brothers, and sisters. One of the ways he made life better for all of us and left his fingerprint on our lives was through the use of what I like to call...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
COMPASSION
ALWAYS STRIVE TO SHOW AND GIVE COMPASSION. ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SHOWN NONE. My entire life, I had to work, and work hard to avoid being the brunt of rude and Difficult bullying. Even from home, even from my Own Mother. Even at 63, I'm still spurned by my blood Family. It's Sad to Hurt a Child so badly that they have a hard time forgetting the Same Family, and School bullying. Especially...
SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS
Read Story
Where did your values come from?

We've all had people in our lives who have made a positive impact on us. A parent or grandparent, a sibling who was there for us, or maybe even just a guy who shines shoes for a living? Whoever they are, tell us their story so they can inspire us even more.

Tell Us Your Story All Everyday Hero Stories