do you have a 'hero'?

I guess I dont really, but I have a person that I look up to immensely, the guys name is Henri Charriere. This guy may be better known as Papillon because of his butterfly tattoo (papillon being french for butterfly).
He was arrested for a murder he claimed until his death that he didi not commit.
He was sent to the penal colony of French Guiana. Forty-two days after his arrival he made his first break, travelling a thousand gruelling miles in an open boat. Recaptured, he suffered a solitary confinement and was sent eventually to Devil's Island, a hell-hole of disease and brutality. No one had ever escaped from this notorious prison — no one until Papillon took to the shark infested sea supported only by a makeshift coconut-sack raft. In thirteen years he made nine daring escapes, living through many fantastic adventures while on the run — including a sojourn with South American Indians whose women Papillon found welcomely free of European restraints...


Despite his dubious background the man remains, in my eyes at least, an amazing individual, he endured hardships that would have broken most of us.
I do not mean to make light of any criminal charges against him but merely to highlight the lengths the human constitution is able to withstand and even adapt to.

 

I guess my hero would have to be my father.
He worked very hard long hours to make sure that his family never suffered or wanted for anything. I have seen him do without things he really would have liked to have had, but he would give one of us kids our first bike or some new clothes we just had to have because they were in fashion. Or we might have wanted to go to summer camp . So he would work extra hours just so we could go, even though he might could have used a new set of tires or work boots. He never in all the years that I can remember ever put himself before his family. He finally worked so hard for so many years (56 years at the same job) he just had to retire. It is now my great pleasure to be able to finally get him some of the things he has wanted over the years. No there is no question in my mind who my hero is My DAD

bigc

 

Your a good person Curt--and i know you are a good son.I'm so glad your able to get your dad some of the things he's wanted over the years.Cherish your dad every day while you have him!!sure sound as if you have a great one!

 

thanks Rita, yep he is a keeper.

 

bigc with such compassion and love u expressed towards ur father, he is fortunate to have such a wonderful caring son. Never change from who you are.

I have to think about my hero.

 

Hi All,

Hmmm ... which "hero" to pick ... I have a few.

Without a lot of time to explain/discuss why ... I'll choose Bob Marley from my list. Most of my list contains people that would be considered as, "Fighters of Social Injustice(s)". I'll try and expand a little more later ... without being political.

Well, the cat is out of the bag, dog is a Socialist. ~but maybe that was already evident~

 

being a socialist, does that mean you are a social dog

 

'very' ... ~lick~ !baRK*BArk!

 

Out of all the famous people I would have to say Abraham Lincoln. The man had a very deep soul.

 

BigC, Tears came to my eyes reading your wonderful story, I am proud of you, it would have been wonderful to take care of my hero - MY MOM.

I am really glad you have the chance to take care of your dad, I wish I could be helping my mom. Seeing her enjoy her later years, pain-free and worry-free. It was not to be.

I am guessing BigC's dad went throught the Depression and WWII? So many of our parents did, my mother was one of them. She joined the Army during WWII, writing articles, working in a munitions factory, hoping to uplift the morale of troops pushed passed and beyond what they thought they could survive. Fighting for the freedoms that her grandparents came here for, her father fought here for.

She raised six children after my father died, taking in many other families in transition. Relatives, friends, people who had no one to turn to - no where to go.

My mother didn't start working until she was almost 50. She became a Head Start teacher and loved it!! Although, she didn't know any of her students language, Spanish, it turned out - they didn't know her language, English- either! A perfect match, she said.

It never made a difference to her or the children. As the children of Mexican migrant workers, she felt they could not be allowed to give up their self-respect or their dreams. She worked out study plans, worked late to make sure a child was ready to go to first grade, kept the proud parents involved.

I iimagine she would have liked to gone on teaching for decades. Then she was diagnosed with incurable cancer, a day I will never forget. Still, she taught a few more years, enduring pain I'm not sure I could or would want to endure. She taught until she, literally, could not get out of bed!! We hated it!!

"'No, go on, you have your lives to live, this is mine!! Those kids need skills, to get a step ahead of the life they live now. I'll quit in a year or so.'"

We all knew she wouldn't, some kids might have forced her to stop, put her in a home out of misguided responsibilty or embarrassment, plenty of people came down hard on my brothers and sisters, until her doctor told us, there is nothing you can do about her physical health, you can do plenty to keep her spirit strong and her heart uplifted in her final year or so.

So we did, and we are still glad! She was not from a generation that understood "taking it easy". Taking it easy was tantamount to laziness, I guess.

At her funeral, she had eight women teachers as pall bearers, and 300 students, ranging from 3 to 10 yrs old, escorting their parents, grandparents, friends and past students.

We barely made it through, we were so overwhelmed with the love and respect given her that day, truly what goes from you does come back "tenfold". She felt they should get her respect, they gave it back, earned not taken. She dreamed for them and now they are living their dream.

She always taught them more than the three R's. She liked to say they also need self-respect and dreams. Many of them are doing exactly what Teacher wished for them, she gave them tools, knowing they would pick them up or not, hoping they would. Most of them did.

I am sure she is Somewhere greeting families, teaching small children, laughing at adolescent jokes (even having heard them hundreds of times!)watching teenagers dance and carry on, shaking her head at their exuberence and silliness.

She was not perfect or lived an easy life, but, she survived the struggles in her life, then quietly got up, went out into the world to help others with the challenges of their lives, my brothers and sisters included.

So, take care of your parents or grandparents if you can, collect all the good memories you can, for when they are gone.

I LOVE YOU, MOM

Marja

 

Sounds as if you are very proud of your mom, and with good reason. She went through the rough times and kept a family together, not an easy thing to do during those times. I wish she was here for you to give a great big hug

bigc

 

{{Hugs}} &

 

My mom and my dad. My dad died Feb 2002. If I went into detail, it could be a book/movie. (Japan's Multimillionaire's daughter marries a poor American
GI and stuggles to raise family in
America - marrage was "death do us part" - a success that overcame all odds and predudices)

 

I am really sorry for your loss, but nothing can take our memories.

bigc

 

I read the book "Papillon", it is truly wonderous what a person can achieve, survive, live in, go through, etc. and still that Spirit rises up and pulls them through!!? It can be awe inspiring, what really amazes me is when the person doesn't let it tear down their inner dignity, their moral fiber, their personal honor -they, themselves hurt, but they do not cause hurt, you could go on and on, but it is still inspiring. Thank the Universe and everything in it, there ARE people like that to give us strength should we need it!!

Lynchknot, It is hard, so hard to lose a beloved parent, isn't it? The love your mother and father had for each other, the prejudice must have almost been overwhelming at times, how true it has to be theirs is a mighty love, and you are right - movie material -might even bring inspiration and understanding that has not been acknowledged. The real life story would beat the movie hands down! You have the best "seat" in the house. So....Lynchknot, have you thought about this idea??...

Don't let your mother leave without telling you the saga of your parents life together!! Even if just for your self or siblings, it is priceless!! It is your heritage, your inheritance, your foundation, you may need it someday, someone in your family may need to hear the story, you owe it to those who come after you, don't lose the story of your family as soooo many already have and regret it always.

Take Care and My Prayers,
Peace,
Marja

 

i like Horatio Nelson. he saved Britain from invasion by Napoleon by confronting the combined fleet of the French and Spanish near Cape Trafalgar. at the battle of Trafalgar he defeated the enemy, getting killed in the process, meaning Napoleon could never invade Britain.

if you have heard of Trafalgar Square, he is the person at the top of the column, Nelson's Column.

 

I wish I was a writer. There is so much more - like as a child riding the train home (during the war) my mom wanted to visit some farm for some fruit or something (food was very scarce during the war - all they ate mainly was pumkin) - her friends went on ahead towards home - the train was blown up by bombers - her friends were killed. She herself received shrapnel in her elbow and her arm has never worked properly (it bends at the wrong angle)

She met my father on a blind date. My father's friend wanted to go drinking with his buddies and talked my dad into going on a double (blind) date instead (since he did not drink). Anyway........ my mother was amused by his persistence and he became welcome by her father (later decorated by emperor for business) after arranging a meeting that enabled Japan's export business to really take off.

Coming from a life of war then butlers, maids, private planes to living in near poverty in a strange country raising 3 kids to success - I guess the focus would not just be on my mother and her strength, but the combined strength of both of them as they have acheived together what neither of them could do alone To my dad

I do hear some amazing storys about their life. I have often stated they should write a book as it is movie material.

 

Do I? Yes I do... El Salvador:

 

Red Skelton "the most unacclaimed clown in show business."

http://www.funnybunch.com/1/me1.swf

 

No finer choice (IMHO) than Zaphod Beeblebrox

 

Beeb? seriously?
O man.
he was such a frood!

 

My hero...
let's see...
Well... I haven't had heroes... maybe temporary idols...
So for cutting the Gordian Knot....
For doing what he wanted, envisioned, planned with all his heart...
for being a true leader of men...
Alexander the Great
http://www.gordiansolutions.com/Alexander.htm
http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_t06.html
(Each link is different.)

Why?
Because...
The gordian knot represents all of life's tangles... All your little problems that keep you engaged and are never solved... they keep you from important work [like conquering the known world] and demoralize you when you fail to accomplish these little tasks after investing great deal of effort and time. the only way to cross over them is... TO RIP THEM APART, just as once Alexander of Macedon had done... to become Alexander The Great.

 

Sop true, the little aggravations and problems are just that aren't they? Something to keep you from your true goal the reason you were born.

Life is something that happens while you are.........usually doing something stuppid

 

If your looking for hero's, look no further than this thread

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=63601

Jimbob

 

WOW!! What moving stories. I so happy for each of you that had such wonderful parents and that you see, understand, appreciate just how wonderful they were. I think its just awesome the way you are all sharing their lives and great stories. Thank you!!

lynchknot,
what an amazing link you have to allow everyone to write their "Good-byes."

Let's just pray that we will all be able to say words such as those to our loved ones while they are with us here on Earth, instead of waiting too long.

What a great thread!

I know, I need to be reminded that there is "Good" in the world~when you mostly hear about the negitive on the evening news.

911 Firefighter Heros~
They are in a class all their own!!