I’ve been called a hero.  I even got a medal for Valor from the NYPD for being a first responder on 9/11.  I never really felt like a hero, and I don’t think other people who are heroes feel like heroes.  My daughter, however, put things in perspective for me recently.  She was a substitute teacher and referred to the following article as the class discussed heroism.

Basically, she boiled it down to Opportunity, Circumstance, Choice.  Listening to the speaker, never realizing that heroism involves the choice of action which means placing oneself in jeopardy without the expectation of reward.  It’s sort of funny, that looking back, responding to the events on 9/11 was sort of automatic.  I guess it’s what I always did.  I know it’s what the firefighters and police and other rescue people always did.

Now, considering some objective analysis by someone else, I guess I’m a hero.

This week I was interviewed by Clayton Patterson check it out!  Also, if you have not read my autobiography, you can get it here.