Defining Heroes

When most people are asked about heroes, they typically reel off a list of names whom we all know as sports figures, celebrities, politicians, etc. It's interesting, though, when their fame fades, we seldom list them much. Their heroics are somehow tied to their time in the limelight.

I want to tell you about a hero of mine, one who the general public doesn't know about. He hasn't been highlighted on ESPN or Entertainment Tonight, but he is a hero just the same. He is my oldest brudder, Darrell.

In his early 20's, he was diagnosed with a back disease which has deteriorated his spine over time. He was told by doctors that he would be in a wheelchair before he was 30. He wasn't. For most of his life, he walked with his pain, bending more and more as time went by.

I never knew a time when Darrell wasn't surrounded by friends, mainly because he was such a good friend himself. He never seemed to want pity, although you could often see the pain in his face.

Last year, his car was hit by another car, which subsequently broke his already weakened back. Surgery was required to take one of his ribs and repair his back. For the past five months, he has been in a hospital bed trying to re-learn to walk. During this time, I never heard of him complaining. He always took the attitude of "What good is complaining going to do?".

Just because a person has a disease doesn't make them a hero, but what makes him a hero is how he has responded to the hand he was dealt, which I am sure has helped him overcome it. His attitude has determined his altitude!

This week I got some pics of him which motivated me to write this post, Darrell walking on his own. The glow in his face shows the pride in his accomplishment.

My hat's off to you big brudder!! Thanks for being my hero and one that won't fade with time.