Heroes Fall #atozchallenge

Heroes

"Who is your hero and why?" 

It was a school assignment. So we had to pick someone. 

It does not matter who you pick. The answer is wrong. And someone will tell you why you are wrong. 

Jesus? Someone will point out the deaths and wars in His name.

Superman? Not real. 

A President? Omg, you'll find someone who hates that guy. 

Because no one is universally liked.

And because no one is perfect. 

Everyone falls. 

I picked a co-worker, more or less.

But twisted the essay to how he was bravery doing his job, putting himself in danger, to help someone. And then tossed in another plot twist, the patient was dying. Full blown AIDS in the 90s. 

I took an essay about a "hero" and made it about my pro stance on euthanasia. 

Yeah, here in 2025, we have treatments for HIV+. But that guy was suffering a slow and terrible death. He was begging, begging, for the pain to stop. He was trapped in isolation. No more human contact. His organs were shutting down. No more food, because he couldn't digest. There were no good moments left. Pain, suffering, and eventual death. 

The essay got me into college. (Colleges. I was accepted to 9 of them.)

I knew at 17 that all Heroes fall.

I let myself forget recently. I believed that John Fetterman, former Lt Governor current PA Senator, would stand up for our state, our people. He failed to do so. 

Tweet