According to the dictionary, a hero is a person, who is admired for courage or noble qualities or a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal.
I have had a couple amazing opportunities in the last month to hear some outstanding speakers relating to heroes. The first event was at the Wellness Council of America Awards Luncheon in April. The guest speaker was Battalion Commander Richard Picciotto, the highest-ranking officer in the Twin Towers when they collapsed on 9/11. The second speaker was Olympic gold medalist, Apollo Ohno, at the DJs Heroes Awards luncheon. Both events were outstanding.
Mr. Picciotto gave us a very detailed description of how 911 changed his life, how his day went, and what he gained from this traumatic experience. He called the Chief and begged to go into the North tower because he had been there in the past during an evacuation when the World Trade Center was bombed. He went into a stairwell, which was no more than 36 inches wide, and climbed it all the way to the 33rd floor when he heard a loud noise and felt the building shake. Picciotto realized it was the South Tower collapsing, but he called to confirm that is what happened. He ordered an evacuation of the firefighters in the North tower at that time. He knew in his mind his tower was next. Floor by floor, they cleared everyone out of the building even hitting a road block of people who could not get out because of the debris from the South tower blocking the exit. He redirected them to a new stairwell. He then heard the same roaring noise and the stairwell went out from under him. When he landed he thought he was dead. By keeping his cool he kept his group calm and helped them escape from a hole in the building debris. He showed extreme courage and heroics in getting his group to safety and helping thousands escape the tower.
As I listened to him speak, I thought about all the courage and willpower he had not to run out of the building when everything was falling apart. Or even the courage to run into the building when he could have stayed at his fire station. Picciotto also helped in the aftermath trying to help clean up all the debris after he was released from the doctor. And now he goes around sharing these amazing events with people, reliving the horror each day in order to help and inspire others. In my mind, that is an amazing person, a hero.
I also had the opportunity to attend to the DJs luncheon for the Salvation Army. I heard about amazing young high school seniors who have overcome hardships to help people above and beyond their normal life. It was truly an impressive experience. One young man had many surgeries on his cranium and still volunteered to help families in need in his area. Another was a young lady who overcame her mother’s death and taking care of her disabled brother to be involved in tons of activities through school and helping the elderly at the nursing home. It’s truly impressive how these young people can multitask to help others. I look at the Sokol family (whose late son is the person the luncheon is named after) and all they have done help the memory of their son live on. There are also all of the businesses that have given time and money to help out the young individuals and the Salvation Army. There are heroes all around us!
I also look at the guest speaker at the luncheon, Apollo Ohno, as a hero. He competed for the United States in the Winter Olympics. He represented us in one of the most exciting sports events we showcase. He is a hero in the sense that he put his body, his heart, and his mind into his sport, even when he did not want to at times, in order to represent our country and showcase his talents. Can you imagine moving away from your family and friends and devoting 24/7 of your life to becoming the best athlete that you can be? That courage and self-sacrifice truly depicts a hero.
After listening to these speakers, I remember a couple things that Richard Picciotto felt he gained from all that happened on 9/11. The first was to cherish your family and friends because we never know when life may be over. You don’t always get a second chance. The second was that we are one country and we have to be one country to get thru the hard times.
There are heroes all around us, including heroes in the healthcare field. They can be the nurse who comforts a sick patient, a physical therapist helping a patient walk again, or an ultrasound tech helping a husband and wife to see their baby for the first time. It could also be the person you pass in the hall, the speaker at the show, the lady on the park bench at the bus stop, or even your child. Please take the time to stop and thank people for the little things they do. Everything can be heroic in someone’s eyes.
Becky Sullivan works as an Account Manager in the Diagnostic Imaging division of Aureus Medical. She has worked for Aureus for over three years. She also serves on the Wellness Committee for C&A Industries, the parent company of Aureus Medical). She and her husband, Dan, have a three year old son and two dogs.
Becky Sullivan / 800.456.5857 x6427 / bsullivan@aureusmedical.com