Zoe Koplowitz

A hero can be different things to different people. A hero is a person who does important deeds, but not for glory or fame. A hero can be a friend or family member, community, or a famous person. My hero is a woman who runs in the New York City Marathon with no hope of coming in first place, but encouragement from others keeps her trying. She said, “I get letters all year long; I carry them with me when I run. What I do is a metaphor of life, just like the marathon itself. It means you can get somewhere by putting one foot in front of the other.” My hero is Zoe Koplowitz. She has lived in New York her whole life and was born in 1954.

My hero has done a lot of amazing deeds. One thing that she has done is that she has “run” in almost all of the New York City Marathons. When she “ran” across the Verrazano Bridge, she always said that she would bring her amazing purple crutches to match her eye shadow. You see, my hero suffers from multiple sclerosis and has diabetes. That did not stop her, however, from running sixteen consecutive marathons in New York City, even though she finished all in last place! In the 2004 race, it took her 29 hours to finish.

When she “ran,” she was always positive and never thought of coming in first. She "ran” for one and one-half days while other people were sleeping. She believes that she can accomplish anything if she keeps on trying. She is always willing to give and to receive.

I was trying out for traveling softball, and I wasn’t really good. But, I kept on trying. That is like my hero. She never gives up on anything! Zoe encourages people to keep on trying. She always tells people that it doesn’t matter if you come in first or last, you are still a wonderful person and woman for trying. That is why Zoe Koplowitz is my hero!