A Neighborhood Hero

Greetings happy people,

When you think of the word hero, what comes to mind?

Do you think of comic book heroes like Superman or Batman?

Do you think of brave professions such as a solider, a firefighter, or a police officer?

While these are great examples of what a hero is, there are many more people that can fit this description. Who? Anybody can be a hero…even me!! How could I be a hero? Well, I have the following story to share with you.

It was a Saturday evening and I was about to leave church. I was walking downstairs when I noticed a young girl handing out church programs. She had an uneasy look on her face as if she was feeling incredibly sick. Within a matter of seconds, she passed out and fell to the concrete ground headfirst.

Seeing what happened, her mother ran to her in horror. I followed to see what help I could offer. The young girl faded in and out of consciousness as her mother and I walked her to a nearby place to sit her down. Her mother kept asking her if she was okay. The daughter whispered to her mother that she wasn’t feeling well. Feeling frantic, her mother asked me to take her outside while she went to get their truck. As she dashed to her truck, I picked up the young girl and carried her in my arms.

While carrying her, I noticed that she felt extremely bony for her frame. It was then I realized that this young girl could be suffering from an eating disorder. To keep her conscious, I kept asking her questions:

“What is your name?”

“Katie”

“How old are you?”

“15.”

“What school do you go to?”

“Cimarron-Memorial”

As I kept asking Katie questions, her mother drove to the front of the church. We put her in the truck and her mother took her to the nearest Quick Care. Luckily, she arrived in the nick of time. The doctors discovered what I had already surmised. She did suffer from an eating disorder. She was treated and released from the medical facility.

Weeks later, I met Katie’s mother and was happy to find out that Katie was feeling better. She had started eating and was getting back to her normal weight. Katie’s mother thanked me for helping her out when no one would. I also had a chance to meet Katie at church. Like her mother said, she was looking better and feeling good. She thanked me by giving me one of the biggest hugs a 15 year old can give.

This story is about how anyone can step in and be a hero at any given moment. You do not have to have superpowers or a life-risking profession. All you need to have is the heart, compassion, and determination to do what is right. Whether it is saving someone from a house fire, getting a cat from a tree, or donating blood, you too can be a hero in your own right. You don't even have to leap buildings in a single bound!!

That is all I have to say for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I