Who is your hero and why?

my microscopic family :)
(It probably a good thing this picture is so small, because it is absolutely impossible to get every person to smile at the same time. There are always about two people that end up looking funny.)

I think its funny how we are exposed to all types of media on a daily basis. Through all of this media exposure, we can become almost obsessed with the lives of those on TV. Most of us can recall countless insignificant details about famous individuals. These media icons have become household names and their actions effect the world. Several of these icons have changed the way music is played, or what fashions we wear. I then thought about children growing up today and what they are exposed to. I became worried, because of the effect these media giants might have on the younger generation. Who are these children looking up to? What kind of examples are they seeing? Then I thought about my hero.
I don't know the name of my hero, but he changed my life. When my mom was in college she had my oldest sister Emily. My mom got really sick afterward, because of the mistakes the delivery doctor made. Worried about my mother's health, my parents visited several doctors. Every doctor insisted that the only way to save my mother was for her to get a hysterectomy. My mom didn't feel right about that. My mother always wanted to have a big family. Finally, one doctor had a different idea. It would still require an operation, but he said he could repair the damage the delivery had done. The problem was that my parents didn't have enough money for the operation. The doctor knew my dad knew how to work on cars and he said that if my dad would fix his car, then he would do the operation. My parents never received a bill for the operation. My mom went on to have eight more children, including myself. My parents don't know where this doctor is today, but this doctor gave me my family.
So, who is your hero? I've talked to several people about their heroes. I've heard stories about selfless scout leaders, moms that never gave up, terminally ill individuals that reach out to those in need, and teachers that went the extra mile to help students. I did not hear any stories about the rich and the famous. The individuals who seem to be creating the biggest impression are the seemingly ordinary individuals that selflessly give of themselves. I think this younger generations might be alright after all, because we can all be selfless. And because we can do that, we can all be another persons' hero.