WHAT IS A HERO?
















“Heroes are people who rise to the occasion

and slip quietly away.”

-     Tom Brokaw

Christopher Reeve, who became famous for playing Superman, was a hero for millions of his movie fans. He possessed an exceptionally-chiseled body. He played adventure sports and was passionate about acting. In 1978, when the first Superman movie was released, he was only 26. Since then, it was hard for most of his fans to disassociate him from that hallowed position of being a ‘hero’… ‘The Superman’!
Then, the tragedy struck Reeve in 1995 (He was 43) while he was participating in a horse-riding competition. He was thrown off and the grave spine-injury left him paralyzed for rest of his life!
‘The rest of Reeve’s life’ means only nine years. For, he died at the age of 52!
But, this life of Christopher Reeve on the wheel-chair, with the support of a portable ventilator, was a more heroic one than his life as a celluloid Superman. Reeve inspired millions across the globe for fighting a battle which was much tougher and more super-human.
I have, always, adored the real-life heroes more than the reel-life ones. Our everyday life is the real life, and we need inspiration in it. Yes, real heroes don’t fly or wear an outlandish costume like the Superman, the Spider-Man and the Batman do. Real heroes are ordinary people like you and me, who rise to the occasion, and slip away quietly. For example, our parents and grandparents, our teachers and associates etc. Yes, often, they are our true heroes, who rise to the occasions and quietly slip away…
Christopher Reeve said during his wheelchair days this:
“When the first Superman movie came out, I gave dozens of interviews to promote it. The most frequent question was: What is a hero? My answer was, that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences. Now, my definition is completely different… I think, a hero is an ordinary individual, who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
“No man can win every battle,” said Peter Parker (the Spider-Man) “but no man should fall without a struggle.”
Peter Parker, who said this, was an ‘ordinary man’, and he was, also, referring to ‘an ordinary man’!

GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: www.theguardian.com

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