Hero

I have never really sat down and thought about who my "hero" is, and I cannot say that I have a specific one in mind. Of course my parents and relatives are very important and influential in my life, but my family has never had to go through anything traumatic or life-changing. Usually when people are asked about who their hero is they respond with something along the lines of Abraham Lincoln, Michael Jordan, George Washington or some other famous person. My definition of a hero is someone who goes against the odds and accomplishes what he/she desires. I recently read an article about a teenage boy, Ben Underwood, who is blind without eyes. His eyes were removed at age two and he developed a technique of locating objects around a room. He uses echolocation, as bats do, to distinguish what things are and where they are located. Ben is now just as normal as any other teenager and he enjoys playing basketball, skate boarding, riding bikes, and playing football. He uses the echolocation to move about freely without a service dog or cane. In my opinion this teenager is quite the inspiration; he has overcome so many stereotypes and discriminations. He persues his dreams and lives life as an average boy. Even though I have never met him, Ben Underwood is a hero.