National Adult Literacy Database

January 6, 2003

This story comes to us from Summerside, Prince Edward Island. The author, Ken Culleton, is enrolled at the Summerside site of the PEI Institute of Adult & Community Education Inc. He has been married to his wife Ann for 13 years. They have two boys aged 8 and 11. Ken has been a volunteer firefighter for 16 years and loves all sports. He is a coach for PeeWee A baseball. Ken is preparing for his GED exam.

Real Heroes

by Ken Culleton

I can remember dreaming about my heroes when I was very young. They weren't your everyday run-of-the-mill guys off the street, no. They were super heroes like Superman and Batman. I think when we are young, we wonder what it would be like to fly or be super strong.

But as the years go by, our heroes start coming out of every day situations, like going to a ball game and watching one of the players hit the ball out of the park or watching a hockey player score three goals. It seems that most teenagers seem to idolize sports figures. I suppose most guys dream about being a professional athlete.

In the later years, perspectives change again. After we realize how much money our "heroes" get paid, we look for other potential people to play this role. I look only as far as my comrades in the fire service and I see real heroes, the guys that put their own safety to the back of their minds to make sure all other lives are removed from peril. One who is willing to perform the ultimate sacrifice has to be considered a real hero.

[This story was taken from I Did It, So Can You! : A Collection of Stories From Adult Learners of Prince Edward Island, published by the Morell Region Community Learning Centre.]