GRANDFATHERS

Nicholas McConnell from Laguna Beach, CA

My hero is my grandpa who passed away at the age of 76. He's my hero because he had lived an eventful life before he died. He was the first principal at Buena High when it was opened, he overcame a heart attack when I was little, and he's also my hero because he loved his family with such devotion.

Angie from Altoona

To me, Fred Hock, my grandpa, is my hero. When my class began talking about writing a hero paper, my grandpa immediately came to mind. He has set great examples for me and helped me develop my core values. He taught me to put family, friends, and religion as my frist priorities. Fred also helped me realize that what's inside matters most, and that as long as you've done your best, you've done a nice job. My grandpa means a lot to me, for he has been there for me from the day I was born, until the day he passed away. Although he is gone, he is still in my heart and means a great deal to me. I remember a story my great-aunt, Vera, told me of my grandpa. Now my grandpa was one of those people who really enjoy eating. When he was about 20, one of his favorite breakfasts was toast and eggs. Vera made him one of each. Once he was done, he requested another. She kept them coming, and this continued until she had made him eleven eggs and eleven pieces of toast, leaving one egg left of the dozen. As he finished she asked, "Shall I make the last one?" He replied, "No thanks, I don't want to make a pig of myself." My grandpa is an excellent role model. He could teach you how to be responsible and caring towards others. My grandpa could also teach you how to set and accomplish priorities and goals. My grandpa's determination and strong moral values have helped me to label him as my hero.

Adam from Joplin

To me, at least, a hero is a person who does something good for the benefit of other people. That is why my hero is my grandfather, Charles Blowers. He is not just a hero to me, but to everyone in the community. Other than farming, about three years ago he set up a teen center for the highschoolers to have a place to go after athletic events other than the bars.

Molly from New Haven, CT

My hero is: Paul C. Harper Jr. Paul is my grandfather. We call him "Papa." He's not only my grandfather, he's also my teacher. He's a painter. Since I was a little girl he would bring me into his studio, set me up with paper and paints and taught me how to draw a still life. His teaching didn't stop there. He would also take me out for hikes in the woods with a camera and binoculars. He showed me how to watch for things in nature that might be the basis for a composition for a painting.or a drawing. For my birthday Papa always gives me books on artists and for my last birthday he gave me a painting that he himself created. When I asked Papa why he didn't go to church he took my hand and brought me outside and said , "This is my cathedral." Papa has taught me how to look for the divine and the inspirational in nature while teaching me the discipline of painitng and drawing. He's my heroe because he's not only my grandfather but my teacher.

Juan from Houston, TX

My hero's name is Augustin Villareal. His date of birth is May 5, 1919. He was born in El Carmen, Nuevo León, Mexico. He is the best Grandpa to me. He is the best man alive. He is 5'5", medium weight, very nice and very friendly.

ROBERT by Jessica from Puyallup

My hero would rather give than receive, than to have never given at all. My hero would help the community church, he would give money to a total stranger, and he would follow the bible by every word! My hero is my Grandpa, Robert.

One night my Grandpa and his friend Roger, the Pastor, were working late at the community church. A man knocked on the door asking for some money and food. My Grandpa gave the man 100 dollars and Roger took some money out of the church fund and gave the man some more money. Then they gave him a little bit of food. When my mom told me that it almost made me cry, happy tears.

I sometimes wonder if that man that came knocking on the door was lying. But then I think that it was a sign from God to my Grandpa that this man really needed some help. I think that man that came all the way down to the church really needed some help from God and my Grandpa.

My Grandpa is my hero and he is also a hero to other people too. He touched the lives of so many people in their lives and I plan to follow the same footprints that he did!

GEORGE by Michael from Cherry Hill

My hero is GEORGE. He's my great-grandfather. He saved my life when I was a baby. My great grand father died when I was in the middle of 3rd grade. I loved him a lot! He was in the army and I'm very grateful that he didn't die. We used to play games together like baseball, football, basketball, soccer. He was a pro at football, and baseball. We always rode bikes together. One time we rode all the way to Wawa.

MORRIS by Jayne from Cherry Hill

My hero is my great-grandfather, Morris. When he was about 16 or 17 he ran away and hid in the woods for a long time. There was something going on at the and he had to be in the army but he didn't want to. He told me that he was very short because he didn't have the right food when he was in the woods. After all that happened he had to dress up as a girl, change the date of when he was born by a year (make himself a year younger) then escape.

My great grandfather lived in Poland then escaped to the United States. He was born in 1899.

You can learn to be brave and never give up. I can't believe he had the courage to do that. He lived a very long and happy life. He died about 2 years ago.

JOE by Melissa from Cherry Hill

My hero is my grandfather. He fought in WW II and the Korean War. He started off his military career in the Royal Air Force, later known as the United States Air Force. He was a highly decorated officer who began his career as a private. During the short time that I knew him, he was a kind and very generous man. Before he got really sick, we used to spend a lot of time together. He was retired from the Air Force and I was his first grandchild. My grandfather was a brave man. He was hospitalized many times before he died. We had many talks about being brave. He died of congestive heart failure in the hospital. That is when your heart is weak due to damage.

Ever since he died, I have been trying to be brave and follow the many he told me.

Douglas from Mooresville, NC

My hero is my Grandfather. He was the most honest man I have ever met. When ever I am faced with an opportunity to take advantage of something like, well giving a cashier at the grocery store a 10 and them giving me change for a twenty. I would think that "my grand father is watching" and so I would alert the cashier of her mistake. She said thanks and that she would have had to makeup the difference at the end of the night. I felt good! God has been very good to me! Good night grandfather.

Jessica from Burnsville, Minnesota

My hero is Holace. My Grandfather, Holace, is an extraordinary man. In his life he has brought up three daughters, and five grandchildren. Family life pulled him away from college in his early twenties, and he's had a life full of hard work. He worked as a fireman for 27 years, and now, at 71, is retired, and keeping up a successful woodworking business. My Grandpa is a noble man, he is strong and loving, and in my opinion has kept my family together.

Bryan from West Bradford, Pennsylvania

My hero is my Grandfather. He is my hero because during Christmas in 1945 he was a medic in World War 2. He got a silver star for pulling soldiers from the snow under fire. He was also rewarded for being one of the first people to cross a bridge in Germany while under battle.

Mrs. Woodburn from Oxford, OH

My hero is my grandfather. As a child, I adored my grandfather. I never realized just how special he was until I became and adult. My grandfather's life of seventy-two years was marked by hardship and hard work, yet he treated others with kindness and generosity. He worked until his dying day, served his country overseas during World War II, and remained committed to his family. Granddad died in 1990 when I was twenty years old. I feel cheated of knowing him as an adult, but I will never forget special memories of holidays and long walks spent together. My children will certainly know about the legacy of my grandfather, my hero.

Art from Frederick, Maryland USA

My hero is Osmund. My grandfather emigrated from Stavanger, Norway for adventure and opportunity. As an immigrant he worked very hard to establish himself and his family on this new land. On the way to doing that, he moved office buildings in NY to make way for the subway, traveled to Panama as an engineer "Rigger" to help Goethals assure successful completion of the project. He remains anonymous in history books because he was an immigrant. Immigrants are the life blood of this nation. On the way to becoming citizens, Immigrants make our country a better place to live. His courage, confidence, and ambition was truly heroic.