The MY HERO site has welcomed visitors of all ages from around the world. Many have written to us about their special heroes. Many heroes are fathers and grandfathers. Here are some of their stories.

Caitlin Ezzell from Laguna Beach, CA, "My hero is my dad because he is special to me. My dad is an artist, and an athlete; he is very quick at sports. However, sometimes he loves to lay in the hammock all day and just do nothing! He works very hard during the week and spends lots of time with my brother and me. He will do anything for me. He cheers me up when I am sad. I love my dad!!!"

Erick Emens from Laguna Beach, CA, " My hero is my dad. When we were taking his engine out of his van we had it on an engine hoist and it was held up by a chain and he told me to move away from it. I moved back. When I stopped it fell on the ground and if he had not told me to move, it would have fallen on me and I would have been hurt. My dad will always help others and I will help them."

Christina Lomonaco from Laguna Beach, CA, "My hero is my dad because when he was in gymnastics he entered the Olympics since he was so great at it. My daddy is a loving and caring father and he is going to teach me gymnastics. If there weren't any heroes in the world it wouldn't be as unique a place as it now."

Erick Battersby from Laguna Beach, CA, "My Hero is my dad, David. He is 47 years old. He is a teacher at Astancha High School in Newport Beach. CA. He is my hero for reasons like he is a loving father. He's always figuring out ways to make my life better and always has time to spend with me."

Quek Sze Zhen from Hong Kong: "My hero is my daddy. He is my hero because he helps me get out of trouble and he saves me from my dreadful evil brother!

My father wears glasses that have brown frames outlining the lens. He is 43 years old this year. He is a very decent man and he never forgets his things. He works in Singapore and he is a business man with a high rank at work. He is very good in math, and he encourages me to speak Chinese every Tuesday and Thursday. (But I never do !!!)

He tries his best to bring me out to countries that I want to go because it gives me more experience on other countries.

He is a good man for not spoiling me in buying me whatever I want. But he still buys me some things that I want. He is always wanting the best for me for I am his only daughter. He takes good care of me and that is why he wants me to eat vegetables and other healthy stuff.

He gives me a good life to start my childhood. He is a very loving father, and I enjoy the times when he plays with me a lot. I remember the times when he was teaching me to swim. It was so much fun playing and splashing in the pool. He tries his best to make money for the family. He will always love the family and that is why he is such a loving father.

Jay Knauer from Laguna Beach, CA, "My dad is the greatest dad in the whole world! My dad does nice things for me when I'm good. He gets things for me that I can't reach. He and I like to play sports together. His favorite sport is BASKETBALL! He is a hero to me because he does cool things with me and my friends. He takes me places if I have been really good or I have really good grades. He's home from work early a lot because he wants to spend time with me. He helps build things like my electric train. My dad and I sleep outside during the summer under the stars! That is my DAD. He's my HERO!!!"

Keila Aguilar from Laguna Beach, CA, "My Hero is my Dad because he is always very kind. He never gives up and he helps me in any way he can. He tries to make me happy. He helps my mom with cooking sometimes and sometimes he donates money to the poor. My dad helps my mom in cleaning sometimes. He sends clothes to poor people in Mexico. He helps me with my homework when I do not understand it."

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."

Chris Brandon from Hong Kong: "My hero is my Dad because he helps me with all kinds of things and likes to play with me a lot. He thinks I do well in school and helps me as much as he can. He has coached almost all of my sports teams except two. We live in Hong Kong so I don't get much chance to play baseball or basketball, but when he coaches our team, we usually do really great. Sometimes we win the championship.

I also like my dad because he works for a toy company and sometimes when he comes home he gives me a toy. Sometimes I get to see stuff that isn't even in the stores yet. Sometimes I get to see drawings of toys before they are even made.

On the weekends my dad spends a lot of time with me and my sister and I think that is neat. We like to rent movies and watch them together in the afternoons. Most dads in Hong Kong travel a lot, so they don't see their kids a lot. My dad doesn't have to travel a lot. He probably only travels once a month, and when he travels, he only goes for 4 to 5 days. When he is gone we really miss him.

My dad and I like to trade baseball cards. We are both big Cincinnati Reds fans because we use to live there and I was born there. It's hard to get baseball cards here, so I always ask for them for Christmas and my birthday and I save them to open up all year long. My favorite Cincinnati Reds players are Barry Larkin and Chris Sabo, but my biggest hero is still my dad! I just think he is the best dad anybody could wish for.

Olivia from California, "My dad is the most gracious, loving person I ever met. In a couple of years I think he could be the smartest man in the world, or at least one of them. He helps me and teaches me right from wrong. He's very funny. He works every day but he spends time with me and my brother and sister every night. He also helps anybody who needs help. Maybe it doesn't seem like it, but he's a hero to me."