With the recent fall from Grace of two popular sports figures it left me thinking.. Who are the modern day heroes? Who are the people we admire the most? It seems everytime the media has appointed us a role model there is a fall from grace. No doubt this is a hard job to live up too. Nobody is perfect. Are we left to only to the big screen to find who are heroes are? This hub will be exploration of who we look to in a time of need.

You can tell we are in a recession from the types of movies that have been playing, Have you noticed that there have been a lot of superhero movies lately? Iron man, Batman and now the Watchmen? We are just searching for someone to be a hero these days.. someone to look up to. In reality most of us look up to our parents to be our role-models or heroes. CNN.com does a nice job with introducing everyday men and women who are stepping up to the plate.   They have over a years worth of heroes that have been nominated monthly.  Take for example the story of Liz Mccartney, who began a non profit organization that has rebuilt 120 homes for Hurricane Katrina victims.  Or Scott Silverman who developed the Second Chance Non profit organization.  This organization helps train and place people in jobs with the appropriate mental health support.  See link below for more details and heroes.

A hero is defined as one who faces adversity and danger from a position  of weakness. He or she will display self sacrifice for the greater good.  Who do we we know these days that has done that?  Current media shows us a few heroes.  Chesely Sully Sullenberger comes to mind.  He is the plane captain that manuvered his plane into the Hudson  with out bringing harm to anyone.

Heroes come in all sizes. A seven year old girl saves her mother form a gunman who was going to shoot her while driving her SUV.  The girl was shot six times and lost an eye, but is still smiling today.  Read the story in the link below!

 Captain Richard Phillips  of the Ship Alabama Maersk offered himself to avoid his crew from being harmed.  Luckily he was rescued when snipers were able to take out her pirates in his life boat. The pirates were headed towards the coast of Somalia.  Hero recognition should also go out to the Navy Snipers who rescued the Captain!

The elderly generation is not with out it's heroes. Take for example the story of Ellen Basinski, of Ohio. While the 70 year old woman was on the phone with her husband (a judge by the way)when not one but four people invaded her home and stared going through her things. She described on person was going through her purse. So what is a 70 year old angry woman to do? She grabbed her favorite Emeril Lagasse pan and "BAM" started hitting her intruders with it. The others reacted by throwing a bottle of Jack Daniels at her to make her stop... but she did not. Luckily her husband had the police called and they took the intruders away!. Unfortunately for Ms Basininski, they had to take her favorite pot in for evidence. This distressed her so as it was her favorite pot. However, Emeril Lagasse heard about her predicament and is not replacing her post along with many other of his cookware. Way to go Emeril!

 And yes sometimes heroes can have a disablity.  In the instance of Nick Scott.  He became a paraplegic as a result of a car wreck.  He had titanium  rods bolted to  his spine and was told he would never walk again.  After grieving his loss Nick turned his life around and became a wheelchair body builder. Wheel chair body building gave him life and purpose again.  He was inspired so much that he became the founder on the largest online wheelchair bodybuilder community. ( link listed below) He has brought the art of wheelchair body building to the forefront .  Besides winning the heavyweight division in wheel chair body building he has even started a first ever wheelchiar body building camp in 2008.  He has encouraged others to participate in the sport so that they may expeerice the wholeness he has. His ultimate goal is to add the wheel chair body building to the Arnold Classic and to the Olympia Stage. Thank You Nick Scott for being an inspiration to  others by example.  May you touch the lives of many!

 It seems that little recognition went to the bank teller in St George Utah.   He noticed a man cashing out his life savings.  The man, Daniel James Murray, made statements about bieng on a mission to klill the President.  The bank teller alerted authorites and Mr. Murray was arrested.  Imagine what would have happened if the teller had not made the report.

 Heroes come in all sizes!.  Check out link below to read the story of a six year old who drove his fahter's car 2 miles when he passed out from low blood sugar!

 Marc Buoniconti  recently made the cover of Sports Illustrated ( August 2009)in celebration of his heroism.  This hero has endured a truly tough life.  Mr Buoniconti became a quadriplegic playing college football. To get the full effect of Mr Bouniconti's struggle you need to read the article in SI. It made this blogger take notice.  But what I really took notice of was the statement " I dont' thin there is any help for me, but I want to get other people out of wheelchairs."  I very impressive statement from a man who has been confined to one for nearly 20 years. In that 20 years he has managed to become the president of the Miami Project, where he heads 250 people trying to make a difference. After his accident Mr Bouncinonti unwittingly became the spokesperson for the Miami Project.  The research center had a face and a story.  the story and the face was able to  raise millions of dollars for the center.  The Miami Project admits they would be nothing if not for Marc.  The money he has help raise has not cured paralysis but has been able to make progress.

 A poll taken at a parenting website states that 52% of parents polled believed that there children looked up to their family and friends.  Followed by 25% of parents that believe their children look up to sports figures.  Teachers, political and historical figures  are the lowest in line.  Who are your heroes?  take the poll below!

So as you can see heroes can come in all shapes and sizes. Heroes can be of any race gender or age. Who are your heroes? The President? Your neighbor? Your mother? father? grandfather? Let me know in the comments below! In a time when there is so much bad news it is often refreshing to hear something good!

 Andy Rooney sums it up well stating there is not much opportunity to be heroic when we are at peace!