During Hurricane Katrina the governor of Alabama, Bob Riley, inspired the people of his state by saying, “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.” Anyone can be a hero; a firefighter, a mother, a stranger, or a soldier. Heroes are not limited to the actions they perform daily but to the actions they perform in difficult circumstances. A child who stands up to a bully is just as much a hero as the firefighter who saved a mother from a burning house. Both the firefighter and child acted selflessly to help someone else; neither of them needed to help the person in need but both felt a moral aptitude to help. A hero can be anyone who embodies selflessness, fortitude, and humility. A…show more content… In those caliginous times the hero must show fortitude and help those around him. During the World War II those imprisoned inside the detainment camps experienced the worst of humanity yet despite that there were those who stayed hopeful, if not for their own sake but for the sake of others. Louie Zamperini was an olympic runner and American soldier in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. While aboard a scouting mission Zamperini’s aircraft, a B-24 Bomber, malfunctioned and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Zamperini and only a few of his crew managed to survive forty-seven days stranded in the Pacific Ocean amid enemy water. During those forty-seven days Zamperini suffered but exhibited a sense of fortitude and hope. As his crew began to despair Zamperini gave them hope. Zamperini reflected hope to his fellow crew similar to how a mirror can reflect light into dark places. Not only did Zamperini endure forty-seven days stranded without food but he endured two years in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. During his time as a prisoner of war Zamperini endured many trials and hardships yet his fortitude helped him and his fellow soldiers survive both mentally and physically. In times of great plight a hero will persevere with great fortitude for themselves and others around…show more content… One of the most revered yet unknown heroes of the modern era is Gino Bartali. Gino Bartali during the 1930’s was Italy’s Babe Ruth; he one of the best cyclists in the world, winning the Tour de France in 1938 and three Giro d'Italia titles. Despite his fame while he lived being accredited to his athletic feats he is revered and remembered for his actions during World War II. Bartali helped save 800 Italian Jews from death during World War II. How could someone as heroic as Bartali not be famous? Bartali was a man of great humility. His life as a liberator of freedom was only made known after his death in 2000. Bartali never shared his acts of kindness and selflessness with no one except those he saved. Bartali was nationally famous before the war and could have been internationally famous post war, yet the sense of fame did not appeal to him. His humility is what makes him remembered today; the idea that he did what he did out of the good of his heart, not for
