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Your Everyday Heroes

The following hero stories have been tagged with Believe In Yourself

Terry H

Terry Hitchcock is my Hero. After tragically losing his wife to breast cancer and struggling to raise three young children on his own, Terry Hitchcock seized on an idea. He wanted to accomplish the impossible: run 75 consecutive marathons in 75 consecutive days to bring attention to the incredibly difficult lives of single-parent families. read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Kenda N

Kenda is a Hero as she has brought more joy, smiles and higher self-esteem to my young adult child and others like him. You see, Kenda created and directs "Movement E-Motion", a dance program for individuals with different abilities - young adults aged 13 to seniors with Down Syndrome, Autism and physical challenges. This lady, the artistic director of AZDance Group which is a professional c... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Russell C.

My mom married this guy named Russell when I was around two years of age. Which is probably the best decision she ever made. He saved my family from crashing down. He saved me from becoming a worthless person to this world. I thought I was taking up space and breathing some better person's air. Through time he made me realize I don't have to be that person. So right now I am a person trying to ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Pat B.

Pat B. is a retired 2nd grade teacher. Like a lot of other teachers, Mrs. B faced challenges having kids in her class that brought with them various problems from home. In my particular case, as with so many other kids that she helped, I came from a disadvantaged family. I was often teased about my clothes, my height, and anything else that my peers found different about me. Mrs. B gave me the ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Teresa M.

My wife has taught dance for 30 years this year, she has touched 1000's of lives. By teaching kids from all walks of life, and giving them self-esteem. Teaching them about respecting themselves as well as others. She has also taken children with physical disabilities. Teaching them to do and be more than doctors ever said they would be. She's taught kids that have Down syndrome, Autism, and are... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Davida W.

I am a 50-year old tax and corporate lawyer at a major law firm and chair its tax practice. The foundation for my better life began with Ms. W. Ms. W was my fifth grade teacher. I came from a family with a number of alcoholics and abuse. During a very delicate and important time in my life, Ms. W took me under her wing, to museums, plays, and events that I would not have had the opportunity to ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Laura D.

Laura was my 6th grade teacher; she helped me gain my self-respect and showed me the purpose in life. I am one in hundreds she has helped and she is an uplifting person who loves you for who you are. She is my heroine and I keep her close to my heart. I visit her as much as I can because she has affected my life. This is why she is a great heroine. read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Jessie S.

Jessie S. I can't really describe her in a paragraph. She is one of the most influential and wonderful people in my life. Jessie is kind, thoughtful and an all-around pleasure to be with. She has an awesome character and strives to do well in every aspect of what she does. She is always cheerful and full of life. Jessie is my hero. read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

My Parents &Amp; Family

My parents and family because they helped me to be a better person and to always do what I love best. read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Ethel M

Ethel is my aunt by marriage; she is my husband’s aunt. She has always treated me as someone special, and her kind and loving words have meant the world to me…Those words are what keep me going. I never have to do anything to hear her kind words, she just often tells me that I am her most favorite person in the whole world. She is over 80 years old, and has the heart of an angel. ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Carter S

My Darling Son is My HeroA Poem to him, a soldier....To live so boldly, to dare and overcomeDaily dealings take a path that surprises...saddensLeaving God to make sense of the total sum To rise to necessity, giving yourself for usYelling commands follow down mazes of mayhemNo hindsight needed, beyond the sandy chaos To take the moment, and make it count for allBreathlessly regrouping, searching... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Jody H

I began singing as young as I can remember. And as soon as I could, I enrolled with the best music teacher in town. When I started with her, we could immediately tell our political and religious differences.Through her teaching me, however, we have discovered that we have more in common than we could have ever imagined. We are both determined, passionate, and willing to do anything to achieve o... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Sharone O

Her name is Sharone and she is my mother. She is my hero. She became my hero gradually during my lifetime. As I grew and matured I was able to recognize all that she has done for me, sacrificed for me, and taught me. I have a great deal of gratitude for who I am because of what I learned from my mother. When I was younger, I used to be offended when I was told, "You are just like your moth... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Nicole D

She is the most amazing person I have ever met. She is my inspiration, my teacher, my mentor and my friend. She opened my eyes to the world not only because she taught World History, but also because she popped my "small-town-bubble" which closed me off from the world. After meeting her, I finally realized what a wonderful, diverse, and fascinating world we live in. She has inspired m... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Katlyn T

Katlyn and her twin sister were born three months early. Two years later, doctors discovered a large brain tumor in Katlyn's head. She had surgery to remove it, and recovered beautifully but was left with a plate in the back of her head where her skull once was. Though that would be more than enough trauma, fear and worry for a family to go through in a lifetime, Katlyn’s family hadnR... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Scarlett H

My hero is my daughter, Scarlett, who at age 4 suffered a spinal cord injury from a car accident. Scarlett, now 11, never lets anything stop her from living her dreams. She has always wanted to dance and be treated like any other dancer. For years, she has attended dance classes, practiced at home, and sought advice on dancing in a wheelchair. This Christmas, her determination and endurance... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Rashmi K.

My daughter is an ESL teacher. She teaches adult refugees who have never spoken English in their lives. She narrated me this one instance which brought tears of joy to my eyes. This is what she told me...this is her story in her own words."About a year ago, I walked into my classroom to prepare for my lesson only to find one of my students already there, 30 minutes early. My student, Hawa... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Catherine C

Catherine overcame a rare form of cancer, which resulted in the amputation of her left leg from the hip down. While she endured her battle with cancer and coped with her losses, she was also completing a second book on apartheid to achieve academic tenure, raising a toddler, fighting a convoluted health care system and losing her father to bone cancer. These days, she walks a mile to work ever... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Chris R.

My hero is my best friend's brother, CSR. He died in a car accident in 2005. He was an amazing person. He was the first person who I ever saw be true to themselves, to the fullest. He made me see that being yourself is the best thing. We love and miss him. read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Ludwig Von Beethoven

Beethoven was one of the most phenomenal composers of all time. His hearing started to deteriorate through his twenties, and he ended up going deaf. But still, he wrote and composed some of the most fantastic pieces of music of all time. He is my hero-he never gave up! read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Zurriane B.

Zurriane has volunteered his time as a Martial Arts instructor for many years to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. For the past nine years he has also volunteered his time as a defense instructor for women and a resisting aggression defense instructor for children. He is also my martial arts instructor and has helped me and many other young people to improve our lives and futures. He is m... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Lisa H.

My hero is the most passionate person I have ever met. She is the embodiment of "Do what you love, love what you do." She is a person of greatness...someone I can only hope to be like someday. Lisa is a record holding high school and college athlete and coach. Her story lies in her unbelievable selflessness and compassion. Her best friend in the world battled anorexia and Lisa held ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Bob B.

As a young boy, I was quite lonely. Although I had a wonderful mother and a great 'big' sister, I didn't have a dad. My true father died when I was two.However, a wonderful person came into my life when I was about 5 or 6. He was a young guy of about 19 and he worked in the hardware store where my mother worked. Bob befriended me and took me out into the hills of north Calgary where he taugh... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

George R.

My grandfather—George R.—is my hero. He was born blind and against all odds he attended the University of Pittsburgh and received his BS. His seeing-eye dog was the first dog to graduate with a blind student. He also attended Carnegie Tech (Now Carnegie Mellon University) and received his MS in Social Work. He became the first blind juvenile probation officer in Allegheny, PA. He ju... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Katie W.

One of my heroes, Katie W., was born with one arm and of Asian decent. She grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood, and her parents neglected her and did not show her the love she deserved and needed. She was on the first girl’s basketball team that I coached. She joined us her 7th grade year and through her hard work and desire became a starter and played through her sophomore year... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Ken B.

My hero is my father, Ken B. Ken was born in 1931 in Pennsylvania. His father, Ken Sr., lost his job in the height of the depression as a furniture manufacturing manager, and the family returned to the old homestead in Templeton, Massachusetts. There he helped work the family farm, selling any extras they grew. At age 12 he was stricken with polio in his right leg and told he’d never walk... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Nancy H.

One of my heroes in Nancy H. Nancy has been teaching at our local elementary school forever, she tells her students every year that she is 196 years old. Why she is a hero to me is because she is a friend and mentor to my daughter. She was my daughter’s 3rd and 4th grade teacher. She encouraged my daughter’s love of art, creativity, reading and writing. Nancy is not the most “... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Phyllis W.

This is about my baby sister, Phyllis W. The youngest of nine children, she was the epitome of the baby in our family. Everyone looked out for her, especially me. We were the closest in age and also best friends. At the age of 35, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, stage 4. She had two small children and was a single mom. I remember going to the oncologist for the first time with her. Her on... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Susan B.

A mother. A wife. A friend. Generous beyond expectation and committed to all of the things important in her life.Susan B., together with her husband, Mike, raised three sons. All the while, she gave them the spiritual support and guidance they needed, loved them deeply and unconditionally, and found the time to share herself with others.If anyone she knew had a need-however great or small—... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Ursula G.

Ursula G., 90, my childhood dance teacher. Ursula taught modern dance at Colorado College in Colorado Springs for 40 years.I took dance starting at the age of 4. I was a pigeon-toed kid and my feet were corrected in my toddler years. The doctor suggested dance to continue my progress and improve my balance. Ursula was so positive with me as she was all her students. She made me believe in my ab... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Vivian R.

My hero, Vivian R., died last July of breast cancer. An older African American woman who never married or had any children, she devoted her life to helping others. I was fortunate enough to have known her for the past 30 years. Since she hired me as young 20 something year old working in the aging field. We came from different backgrounds and were as different as night and day, but we bonded fr... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Rg P.

My father is my hero...not because he is my father but because he has battled cancer ever since 2002. He just completed his 50 year anniversary at the only job he has ever known. He is still battling cancer but I see him every day working and fighting to beat this cancer with every bit of his being. I am so amazed at how much he can take and still keep going. I want so much to be just like h... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Marcus M.

Marcus was a co-worker of mine for many years and I've never seen anyone so devoted to their job. I've often caught myself just watching him interact with customers. He's never met a stranger, and is an overall genuine and good person. He taught me that being cool doesn't mean playing the “tough guy,” and basically that you get what you give to the world. He's the best person I've e... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Earl R.

My hero is a person who always puts others before himself. He is always faithful to anything he undertakes and always willing to lend a helping hand. His word is his bond. He always goes above and beyond the call of duty. He works in Human Resources. He gives 110 percent to the project. He is always going the extra mile to help someone else. He sacrifices personal rest to provide service to the... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Henri L.

After surviving the concentration camps of World War II (a situation that could have destroyed one’s spirit) Henri came to America and served in our military. Through the G.I. Bill he received an education in the hospitality industry. With success in the hotel business he could have justifiably sat back and enjoyed life. Instead he founded Give Kids the World, an organization that grants ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Amanda G.

Ms. G. teaches everyone to love who they are and she has never judged anyone. She is a very talented teacher and mentor. Ms. G. is not afraid to do anything. She's always willing to defeat fear. She's always there for anyone who needs to talk. And she's always willing to give another chance. She truly wants everyone to get along, and that is how she lives. She is my hero! read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Erin B

Erin B. has taught me that you don't have to be fake or selfish to be popular with your peers. She has come into my life and taught me how to be a better friend and a better person. She brightens every room she walks into, and makes a new friend with everyone she greets with a "Hello." read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Ashley F

Ashley is a 17 year old, profoundly deaf, female, motocross racer. She has just turned pro this year and is currently undefeated. She has won numerous amateur championships. She rides only by the feel of the vibrations of her motorcycle over some of the roughest terrain ever. read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Richard O.

Richard and his wife (Myra) have been teachers in some way all their lives. They have helped in ways we only wish people would really take time and effort to do. Without expectation of any return, they have touched so many lives, old and young, by their constant giving of themselves and making people feel good about themselves. They also open opportunities for many, many people everyday. Th... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

David L

My hero, David L., is 61 years old now. He has stuttered since he was a baby and many thought he was mentally retarded. An IQ test as child showed that he had an IQ of 140. He was the butt of everyone's jokes in high school. He never had the love of his father and lost a job just because he stuttered. He is my hero because despite this, he is a kind, loving man and a great dad. One of his goals... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

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. Although like most 17 year olds, she has her moments she has never failed to do wh... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

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 me, that Person was Renee. I adore her, and am so thankful that I have her friendshi... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

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!!! read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

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 peopleHow to dig inside deep and pull out that desire to do a good jobHow to live life with purityHow to und... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Monte R.

Monte R. is my dad and he has made a huge difference in the first 13 years of my life. He has helped me throughout life and through hard ships. He has never given up on me and has always done what is best for me. If I were to pick anybody to be my hero and help in the future it would most likely be my dad. There is always room for a little more kindness to be given, and every time, my dad fills... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Kaitlin W.

Kaitlin is my sister. She inspires me to be the best athlete I can be. She accepted a full ride athletic scholarship to the University of Alabama to be a gymnast. She worked hard every day to be one of the best gymnasts in the world. She was a gymnast from the time when she was 6 years old to just recently, when she retired after graduating from college with her bachelor's degree. She always te... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Bobby B.

Bobby is my baseball team’s coach. He has shared his life stories and influenced me in every way he can. He has encouraged me to take a better path than he took in some areas, and he has always tried to make my life better for me. He has the character of a true leader and the heart for the perfect friend. This is why Bobby is my hero. read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Ashley L.

My hero is my sister, Ashley. From the moment I was born she has set a good example for me and has shown me how to do the right thing. She cares about my family and others a lot and is great at showing compassion and reaching out to those in need. She has followed through with her goals and now attends college in San Marcos. I plan to go to college too, just like her.Ashley stands up for what s... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Jeff M

My soccer coach, Jeff M. is my hero. He has showed me so much not only in soccer but also about my outlook on life. I am a usually a negative person about myself and the things I do. Every time I would do something wrong in soccer I would take it out on myself. He is the one who would encourage me after everything I did, good or bad. It really helped, and I started to play much better. I am now... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Brandyn G.

My hero is my brother. Although he is no longer alive he is still my hero. He wasn’t my real brother, he was actually my foster brother but he treated me as if I was his “real” sister all the same. He passed away at the age of seventeen. At the time he was working a full time job and getting his GED at the same time. He was told that all he had to do to get out of foster care ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Anne Frank

Anne Frank, 1929–45, German diarist, b. Frankfurt as Anneliese Marie Frank. In order to escape Nazi persecution, her family emigrated (1933) to Amsterdam, where her father Otto became a business owner. After the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, her family (along with several other Jews) hid for just over two years (1942–44) in a “secret annex” that was part of her father'... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Patrick Henry H.

Patrick is a remarkable young man who was born without eyes and without the ability to fully straighten his arms and legs, making him unable to walk. Additionally, two steel rods were surgically attached to Patrick's spine to correct scoliosis.Despite circumstances that seem overwhelming to you and me, Patrick has overcome these physical issues to excel as a musician and student. Patrick ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Tam L.

Tam is a refugee survivor who traveled across the ocean to get to safety. He first landed in Thailand, then Cambodia. Tam then later migrated to the USA. He worked hard as a bus boy and had only a bicycle as a means of transportation to and from both work and school. When Tam first arrived here he did not know how to speak English. He had to learn from the basics of the language. Despite al... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Ramon R.

Ramon Ramos is a retired National Basketball Association player originally from Puerto Rican. He studied in Puerto Rico at Colegio San Jose and in the United States at Seton Hall where he is now a basketball legend. Ramos began to play in 1985 for the Indios de Canovanas franchise. At first he sat the bench but eventually he became one of the key players. In 1987, Ramos played in Puerto Rico's ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Ryan

My hero is my husband Ryan. He is my best friend. We have been together for over 8 years and we also have been apart for a long time because we lived on two different continents before we got married. Ryan is the most wonderful person I have ever met. He is always very committed to what he does – at work and at home. People like to be around Ryan because of his amazing personality. He is ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Vince D.

My hero is my father. My mother left my father when my two brothers and I were very little. My father single handedly raised all three of us and put us through four years of college. Today, we are all successful career oriented individuals who have him to thank. He has provided me with the courage to face anything without fear of failure and reminded me that you can succeed against all odds... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Henry N.

My hero is my 14 year old son. A year ago he sustained several devastating injuries including traumatic brain trauma. Today, he goes to school with his friends, works hard at lots of therapies and tutoring, and gives back the love that his adoring family constantly sends his way. He does not complain or feel sorry for himself. His spirit and his laughter are as strong as ever while he works har... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Karen

Karen is sick with an "incurable" form of cancer. Her now ex-husband lost all their money in day trading. One of her two adopted children has a learning disability that may never allow him to live alone. Still, instead of feeling sorry for herself, a victim, or helpless, Karen started her own business and is taking care of herself and her children. She fights off her daily fears and m... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Melissa C.

My hero is my history teacher. She has been an inspiration to so many people. She lives on a pretty meager teacher’s salary yet donates over half of it to charity foundations. She hasn't done anything particularly extraordinary that I know of. But she doesn't have to. Her values and her character make me want to be exactly like her. Isn't that what the true meaning of a hero is though? So... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Randy

My hero is a wondrous man named Randy Pausch. His entire life, he has been a symbol of greatness and integrity. Even as he discovered he had cancer, he chose not to mope and dread the inevitable.Instead, Randy became an embodiment of hope and eternal optimism. His memory still lives on today and continues to inspire millions, just as he has inspired me to never give up, no matter what. read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Wanda M.

My mother has been there through thick and thin. She was a single mother of me and my big sister. Working hard and still showing us great values. Then she re-married and had my baby sister. It was really rough for the family to go through so much change. I wanted to run away from everything that was happening around me. But I didn’t run away because I was able to talk to my mom about ever... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Elizabeth G.

My grandmother, Elizabeth, is my hero. She has taught me to never give up on my dreams or myself and has always been there for me when times have been tough. As my husband and I continue our journey to try once again to become parents, I am inspired and motivated by the dedication she had in this same process. My grandmother finally became a mother after five miscarriages. She inspires me and g... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Susan H

When I was growing up my family consisted of three brothers and two sisters. My two sisters are much younger than I am. As I grew older I always wished I had an older sister (while I have an older brother it’s not the same thing).To my way of thinking an older sister is someone who can inspire you to do things you never thought possible. She also listens and can give you advice like know ... read more→
Values: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF