Everyday Hero Stories

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
CARING
KEN C Ken has taught me a lot. He has taught me to have a positive attitude, to never give up, and to work for everything. Kevin is the Principle at my middle school. He has encouraged us to Watch the Foundation for a Better Life videos everyday in advisory. He also has made my life easier from the first day I started...
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REACHING OUT
LOU A I have worked with Lou for 11 years. Even though he is over 15 years younger than me, I consider him to be my mentor. He is wise beyond his years. He has taught me and my co-workers positive values for living that have made our lives richer in so many ways. Basic values, like: How to treat people How to dig...
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AMBITION
WALKER O He started skating about three or four years ago. He is now indeed "The Bomb." He suffered a head injury but came right back up and got back on the board after he recovered,Of course with a helmet. And is now supported by original clothing and is the best skater I know. But what I am trying to get to is that...
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DEDICATION
RUNNING THE EMOTIONAL DISTANCE The year 1999 will forever be the turning point in my life and the lives of so many others. Shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39'what I thought was shocking news was quickly put into perspective'my brother Stephen O'Grady, 30, was killed by a drunken driver just a month later. He was...
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AMBITION
MONTE R My husband is my hero. We married in 1991. We had nothing but happiness and love for one another. After a few years of working different jobs, my husband decided we needed to do more to be successful and achieve our goals. In 1998, he decided to go to college, get a degree, and find a job that he enjoyed that...
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APPRECIATION
SEBASTOPOL FFA The FFA (Future Farmers of America) of Sebastopol, California has changed my life so much since freshman year. During Middle School and even before that, I felt like I didn't fit in anywhere. But through FFA I have met a lot of new friends. I tried to become a chapter officer as a freshman, and now in my...
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HOPE
AN UNKNOWN FRIEND Twelve years ago my family, pets and I were homeless, working day labor to get a meal and a motel room. Day labor pays a state's minimum wage so if one of us was not working we ate lightly or slept under a tree in one of the parks. I had been washing dishes for several weeks when the woman I worked with asked...
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APPRECIATION
RACHEL S My hero is Rachel Scott. She was killed in the Columbine shooting, the first one killed. Before she died, she always made sure to included everyone and anybody in whatever she did. She helped numerous kids before they hurt themselves. Because of her example, I am in the program Rachel's Challenge....
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REACHING OUT
JASON L My daddy is my hero. I think he is the best dad in the world. An example of this would be the first time I rode a bike: Crash Boom Bang! I had a very bad wreck! He hustled to me into the house at a very high speed and totally took care of me. He picked me up and dusted me off. My dad is the best!!!
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APPRECIATION
WALLY G Wally is one of my personal heroes because he helps people--me specifically--know where to look to find true happiness and how to have peace in the home. He's constantly creating things to educate people about how to have healthy families. I've watched him change at least a hundred lives and heard how he's helped...
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COURAGE
RAY K On May 20, 2007, off-duty volunteer fire captain Ray K. acted selflessly and heroically to save the life of a resident in a burning home. Ray learned of a residential explosion only a few blocks from his own home. He went to the address and learned that an individual was injured inside the home. With the...
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LEADERSHIP
MY MENTOR AND MY FRIEND Before I starting working for the Department of Building and Safety I worked for a homebuilder and would go to the Department to get building permits. That is how I met Dale. Dale is the Senior Plans Examiner for the Department and when he had a job opening in his section he encouraged me to apply for it. I was...
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APPRECIATION
DAVID R David is my daddy. Today is his 74th birthday. He is my hero. Daddy adopted me, my younger sister and my little brother, when I was 12 years old. There is something very special about a parent that will take on someone else's children, shower them with love and raise them up as their own. My dad's first wife...
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REACHING OUT
AMERICAN RED CROSS I spent the last 2 weeks serving on the disaster relief operation for Hurricane Ike. While this is not my first with the ARC, I stand in awe of the tireless dedication of many other volunteers. Some of these have spent a significant portion of their life serving their country in times of disaster. One such...
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APPRECIATION
JIMMY Jimmy was the cousin everyone looked up to, the Head Honcho, the cousin who was always there to help the little ones along. He accepted everyone for who they were and what they had to offer, no matter how different they truly were in their life or how they appeared to others. Right up until his life ended a short...
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LOVE
VICKY S My hero is my wife, Vicky. On August 26th, 1984 at 8:00 pm sharp, we were seating on a park bench across from our local church. We were both 15 years old. Vicky was nervous but not even close to how nervous I was: I was about to ask her out for the first time. I joined the military academy in Mexico and I...
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AMBITION
RENEE B Whether your life is going well, or facing challenges, almost inevitably along comes a person who turns your world upside down--but for the better. They inspire you to be the best you can be, and always try to be even better every day. They do this without even trying. They simply bring out the best in you. For...
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REACHING OUT
JIM AND MARTI D As a new parent, I hope to inspire my child the way my own parents (Jim and Marti) have continued to inspire, advocate, and support my dreams. Over the past thirty-years, my parents have stood by my side and motivated me to become the women I am today.
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HARD WORK
GEORGE W George Washington even as a kid was a great leader. When he was only 12 years old he captained a ship of upset and angry crew members safely across the sea. He is my hero because he shows us that us teens can do more than what is expected of us.
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GIVING BACK
DELIVERING SMILES My name is Destinee. I am 11 years old. I have a friend name Shelby. Shelby and I have set up a small organization with my Mom. It is called Delivering Smiles. Shelby and I do all of the work like collecting stuffed animals, coloring books, small hand held games, etc. After about a month of collecting these...
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PATIENCE
SURGERY When I was about 13 years old I cut my spleen while I was snowboarding with my friends. It was a bad accident'I was just snowboarding the way I usually do but I caught an edge. I was out of school for a month and couldn't do anything for 3 months. I couldn't even get in a car for 2 weeks because it hurt so badly!...
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COURTESY
ANGELS AMONG US In 1992 in Alaska my husband and I struggled to attend school, pay bills, learn to live with limited physical movement, and feed our son. Life was hard. And the winter made life even harder. In the middle of the night, in a small town in Alaska our car's transmission gave out. We had just arrived from...
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REACHING OUT
CINDY & DARLENE My heroes, Cindy and Darlene, are actually connected. I was looking for a job and had been out of work for a little while when my mom, through some volunteer work, found out about a local job training center for people with disabilities. I was tested and I got a job coach, Cindy. She was great. Cindy helped me...
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OVERCOMING
YES WE CAN I am Amadu Lamrana Bah, from Sierra Leone, and am 20 years old. I suffered a lot during the civil war in my country Sierra Leone. My father was killed and my elder sister was abducted and later died in the hands of the rebels. I was left with my mother and my younger brother who is not attending school because my...
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HELPING OTHERS
DAVE & LENA M Dave & Lena are strong people who are helping me finish high school. It may sound cheesy being my hero and all, but they really help me with my life, and it is greatly appreciated.
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LISTENING
AS LONG AS MABLE'S ABLE When I was seventeen my grandfather had a stroke. My grandmother stayed by his side at the hospital after his stroke until he passed on. Having seen him in such a difficult condition for the two weeks prior to his death, my grandmother always said that she hoped that she wouldn't die of a stroke. She lived...
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DEVOTION
NOW THAT'S LOVE My grandmother and my grandfather were married for over 50 years. I can only imagine what brought my grandmother, a native Canadian, here to the U.S. in the first place. They didn't have much, and they both had to have jobs. They kept my mother, her sister, and her brother clothed and in private Catholic schools...
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CONFIDENCE
ZOE T My little sister is my hero. She was born when I was two years old. At birth she was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome. She is absolutely, hands down the most amazing person I know. She has put a smile on my face every single time I've been upset. I line in the dorm at school and sometimes she will call just because....
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APPRECIATION
MCMASTER I go to Mac High School, and once a year we get snacks when we get off the bus. Usually I think nothing of it and just take a snack and then go on with the rest of my day. But today there were stickers on the bottles which told us to "pay it forward" and there was even a website to visit (which was this one) to...
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CHARACTER
DANIEL G My hero was the first born to a migrant share cropper and wife. His father passed away when he was six and he was left to help his mother with three younger sisters and one on the way. The youngest of the three died and when the baby was born, she died as well. Both died of starvation. He fought to live each day,...
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FORGIVENESS
FORGIVE AND GROW Forgiving, I feel, is easy. Forgetting the experience that comes prior to the forgiveness, however, always remains with us. Choosing to forgive means choosing to let go of the bad or negative emotions that one experiences so that we can live in peace and harmony. Five years ago I went through a painful...
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DEVOTION
MY PARENTS' LOVE I lived in Dallas, Texas nearly all my life with my mom, dad and older sister. We were raised to respect others, value education, and get all that we could out of life. "You can be anything you want to be," my parents always say. "Work hard and the world is yours," is often quoted in my house. My parents are...
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COMMITMENT
JOHN H This is my father. I am sure that all children think that their father is their hero but mine is extraordinary. When I was two years old, in 1963, my mother died of bone cancer. She left my father not only heartbroken but the father of five children. My extended family rallied together and made the decision that...
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