Here’s to the Heroes that Give Us Hope

We can be heroes. First, let’s learn from those who came before us.

A hero is, “a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character.”

My question for you is, what does a hero mean to you? As I’ve looked back at my life and seen courageous acts from men and women in uniform that have fought and died for their country, as well as police, firemen and EMT workers that gave their lives to help others save theirs on 9/11.

I’ve witnessed true nobility of character from my parents, brothers, teachers and athletes I deeply admire. Watching my wife give birth to my three children has further defined what I find to be heroic. That’s a true act of courage and love.

Heroes can fit the context we want them to fit — and we can choose them to help give us inspiration and guidance for the life we want to live. Heroes can be everyday people or they can be the athletes and stars we look up to that make us say, “I want to do that when I grow up.”

A Story To Tell

Growing up in New York in the 1990s, I was witness to some of the greatest champions to ever wear a sports uniform. I watched the rise of Baseball Hall of Famers that played for the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, as well as truly great players like Bernie Williams and more. They weren’t rescuing anyone out of burning buildings or saving lives.

What they were doing was carrying themselves with dignity, class and a competitive fire to win and represent their city. It brought indescribable joy and pride to my life. It gave me a model for who I wanted to be, and stoked a fire inside of me that lives to this day.

On the other side of town were the New York Mets, who had their heroes of yesteryear. So in the past couple days, it was incredibly saddening to see the passing of pitcher, Tom Seaver, who succumbed to both dementia and COVID-19 at the age of 75. While most of his career took place before I was alive, it’s been amazing to see how deeply admired this man was and how he was a hero to so many.

Up until the day he died, a true living legend. Family members, friends, writers and millions of people from all walks of life have gushed about how he was their hero. Special.

The history is important here.

In the mid 1950’s, there were three baseball teams in New York:

• The New York Yankees
• The Brooklyn Dodgers
• The New York Giants

After 1957, only one remained. The Dodgers and Giants moved west and left emotional devastation in their wake. Millions of fans were crestfallen. Their heroes gone. Many who simply couldn’t bring themselves to root for the Yankees had a sports void in their life. And frankly — they had a hero void. Given that stars and icons like Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays played in New York during that time, now that they were gone, it was a big deal.

People were waiting for a new team. They got it a few years later in the New York Mets. Then, they were waiting for their savior. They got it in Seaver- who delivered a World Series championship in 1969, only a few years after they became a franchise. Remarkable.

In so many ways, Seaver helped build the craziness and obsession that so many in the New York area have for the Amazin Mets. That is real.

Our Heroes Allow us to Dream

Sports are the conduit for so many of to have an intimate portrait into the lives of people we want to emulate and be. We ride with them through the good time and bad. We want to be them. We want a piece of them. They’re heroes, no matter how you want to define it.

When I see stories today about grown men crying and reminiscing over Seaver, I imagine it will be that way for me one day with the great Mariano Rivera. The more I read about Seaver, the more I feel that hero similarity to how I feel about Mariano. Mariano was my sports hero in high school, college, and yeah, even today.

While he may have made millions pitching a baseball, he also launched a charitable foundation and has given money to causes to help man people. But really, what he did for so many was provide hope and joy. Mariano, like Tom Seaver, is someone who always handled himself with class, passion, humility and a monstrous competitive fire to win.

One of the very best ever. These are all values and ideas to be desired. To be modeled and emulated. I used to struggle, like many, of classifying athletes as heroes. But the truth of the matter is — we’re drawn to what we like. Many of want to do what we love for a living and be known for incredible contributions that mean everything to people.

We as humans have incredible pride in our families, our heritage and also the place we come from and live. The countries, states, cities and towns we hail from. In New York, at least for me, those heroes played for the Yankees. As I realized even further in the past couple days, for Mets fans, that hero was Tom Seaver. A man who gave everything he had and did so with joy in his heart.

Isn’t that what life’s all about? Isn’t that the way we want to live our lives?

So, choose your heroes wisely. Don’t get caught up in what others think. Instead, let them take you to places you’ve always dreamed.

Here’s to the heroes.