By Sharon Thayer
My two children were involved in a bad car accident. My son had a broken neck but my daughter had only minor injuries. Since my son was the one critically injured, no one realised how my daughter was traumatised by the wreck.
There was a school friend, Heather, in front of them at the time of the accident. She had stopped to help. Even though she never realised the impact she was making, just by being there for my daughter Brittany to hold on to, she made a world of difference.
A few months after the accident, Brittany wrote the following essay for a school assignment depicting someone she looked up to. What does the word ‘hero’ mean to you?
To me the word ‘hero’ has far more meaning than just a make-believe cartoon with super powers or a sports star. Sports stars and political leaders are more of a role model. A hero should be somebody you feel has changed your life in some way to make it better. In my life I believe I have a real true ‘hero’.
Her name is Heather Boyer. She doesn’t play sports and isn’t even old enough to be in government, but she is still my hero because she was there for me during one of the hardest times in my life. She helped me deal with a tragic event.
I will never forget the day my brother and I were involved in a car and then the car slid on its top. When the car stopped sliding my brother helped me out through the shattered, back window. After he made sure I was all right he began trying to deal with his own pain. I was mentally all alone standing there, scared to death. I bet you can’t guess who was there to help me with my pain and fear. It was Heather.
If Heather hadn’t been there I would have been lost. I wouldn’t have had any idea on how to push my fears away and just be glad that my brother and I were both alive. It means so much to me that Heather stood there freezing to death with her arms around me, not caring that I was bleeding on her or that I was screaming in her ear, only caring that my brother and I were alright. Only caring that she was helping me. But I don’t think she knows how much she really did help me.
I don’t even know how to tell her what a great change she has made in me. I can only say thank you and hope she understands she is my hero and I will never forget her for that.
