By definition, to be a hero is to be a person with “distinguishable abilities or other attributes that are admired by the general population.” A modern “hero” is usually considered “superhuman” or an average person, like a celebrity, with admirable traits. When a person thinks of a hero, he or she may think of celebrities or fictional characters. This is a very sad truth because there are many soldiers, fire fighters, police officers , and other men and women who fight to preserve the safety and freedom of the people they serve. Although many people admire celebrities and fictional characters, many other people instead admire the civil servants (people who serve the general population) for their praiseworthy qualities. We respect them, the services they provide, and the sacrifices they make for others.

Civil servants are admired in our country because they do the work that nobody else wants to do or is willing to do. They have traits that other people do not. They are caring, brave, selfless, true to their beliefs, and usually possess strong physical, mental, and moral character. Although the average person admires these traits, only some people can motivate themselves to become a person with the attributes of a real “hero.”
Celebrities and athletes are idolized because they are rich and famous. Apparently, people think that those are the traits of a hero. The civil servant isn’t idolized, but has admirable traits and he or she does things that a average citizen wouldn’t comprehend doing: not because a person fears the “hero,”, but because a person fears the tasks that an everyday hero fearlessly faces. Examples of civil servants include people who fight fire, war, and crime. Firefighters fight a fire as it tears across urban and wild landscapes. Firefighters do this so that other people don’t have to be in harm’s way. Just like police officers keep the public safe by dealing with criminals and soldiers fight wars so that people can live peacefully with others.

In general, a hero is anyone that does something extraordinary or does something that the average person is afraid to do. A hero can be a civil servant, a family member, or a friend. A hero can be anyone. A hero doesn’t have to be a celebrity or a fictional character. A hero shouldn’t be judged by his or her wealth or glory, but by the intent of the individual completing a task deemed extraordinary. Like the song by the Foo Fighters says, “There goes my hero. He’s ordinary.” Heroes are ordinary people who do extraordinary things for others.